When Enemies Interact
by Orla-Destiny
Summary: It all starts out as a normal day for Draco, but then, Potions with the Gryffindors comes and everything starts to change when Snape pairs him with Hermione for their Polyjuice assignment. Soon more events follow and they are brought closer together. DHr
1. Potions Class

*Title: When Enemies Interact (1/17). *Author: Orla-Destiny. *Author's email: orla_d_22@yahoo.com.au *Disclaimer: I wished I owned it all, but J.K.Rowling and her various publishers, etc. own everything! *Author Notes: Hey, I hope you like it! Not as long as I thought it would be and I'm sorry for that. It's also a bit OoC and I'm sorry for that as well. Also, I'd just like to note that I haven't really got much of an idea of what Arithmancy is, so I made some up - the way I think it of being. Please review; I really want to hear your opinion!  
~ Thanks to Monique and Sway, my beta-readers! *P.S: This fic was written before the Order of the Phoenix was released to all those who read it after that book.  
  
Chapter 1: Potions Class.  
  
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Wednesday: one of Draco Malfoy's favourite days at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He could never explain why, but he always liked the days he had Potions with the Gryffindors. Maybe it was the fact he was Professor Snape, the Potions master's favourite student, but he, unlike many others, enjoyed Potions, even if it was with the Gryffindors. Today he would have double Potions and to his great delight, they would start brewing up the Polyjuice Potion, a potion, which allows you to take another person's physical form.  
  
Taking his seat near the end of the Slytherin table, Draco had a look around at the magnificent Great Hall, with its four long tables packed with students, all wearing the same black school robes. He was in his seventh and last year here and not until now had he taken much notice in the castles beauty or realised how much he would miss it when he left.  
  
As he continued to gaze around, the back of a rather bushy head caught his eye, this head belonging to Hermione Granger, a Gryffindor in the same year as him. Hermione was Head Girl and awfully clever and smart and ever since fifth year, Draco had wanted more then anything just to beat her in one class, minus Potions. He envied her of her brilliance and perfect grades. Never had he known her to fail something, but what got him was the fact she was Muggle-born and his father had always told him that Muggle-borns, or as he called them, Mudbloods, were always hopeless in the Wizarding world, yet she was the top of the year, every year.  
  
Staring at the back of Hermione's head, Draco noticed she had her Defence Against the Dark Arts book propped up against a jug of pumpkin juice in front of her, reading from it as she ate. Her best friends Harry Potter and Ron Weasley were sitting opposite her and going by the way Harry was moving his hands, they were deep in a conversation about Quidditch, the wizard sport. He then turned his gaze to the Ravenclaw table where a large group of people were laughing heartily and he noticed that Terry Boot was amongst them. Draco had had a grudge on Boot since the beginning of the school year when he learnt the Boot had beaten him to Head Boy.  
  
Turning his gaze back to the Slytherin table, he saw how separate they were from the other houses. Most looked glum, eating their breakfast in silence or having small conversations with friends, with no smiling, no laughter, just glum-looking faces all around. As he looked at the sight, he felt a strong need to find some company in others, not just from his own house. He had Potions and Care of Magical Creatures with the Gryffindors, but he had never gotten along with them and probably never would. He had Herbology with the Ravenclaws, and again he had never really gotten along with them, but it was slightly possible, and the Hufflepuffs weren't even worth thinking about, he honestly didn't want to get along with any of them. He sighed; he might as well just stick with his own house with Crabbe and Goyle, his boulder-sized best friends.  
  
Grabbing a couple of slices of buttered toast from the centre of the table, Draco decided to head off to his first class: Arithmancy.  
  
*  
  
"Here you go class," Professor Vector said to her class, as she walked around the room, handing each student a piece of parchment with a large amount of problems they had to calculate and put onto charts. "I would like you to finish it for homework if you don't today in class."  
  
Draco looked down at the piece of parchment she had handed him. He had only started Arithmancy the year before, but he had caught up with the others in his class (which included students of his year from all the houses) quickly and found it rather easy. In fact, he highly enjoyed the art of Arithmancy. Taking out a quill and a bottle of ink, he set to work and wasn't interrupted until he felt someone hastily sit in the empty seat beside him. It was Hermione.  
  
"Granger, what do you think you're doing?" Draco hissed at her. It wasn't an unknown fact that they loathed each other and he honestly didn't want her sitting next to him.  
  
"Sitting," she replied shortly before getting out a quill and ink and starting on her own work.  
  
"Can't you sit somewhere else?" Draco sneered, "I really don't want you so close or a Mudblood sliming all over me for that matter."  
  
"Look, Malfoy," Hermione retorted rather calmly, "I came in late and this was the only seat left. I had no choice but to sit here. I honestly didn't want to sit next to you, either." She turned back to her work.  
  
Draco glared at her fiercely, before turning back to his own work, knowing it wasn't worth pressing the subject any more.  
  
The bell to signal end of class rang from somewhere in the castle and Draco slowly packed his bag before going up to Professor Vector's desk and handing in his work, which he had managed to finish.  
  
"Thank-you Mr. Malfoy," the professor said with a warm smile. Draco nodded and turned, only to bump into Hermione, who had also come up to hand her work in.  
  
"Sorry," Draco muttered, before walking around her and out the door, feeling Hermione's glare burning into his retreating back.  
  
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"As I told you last lesson," Snape said in his deadly voice as the class sat down in their seats, "We will start to make the Polyjuice Potion today and continue making it until it is finished, which will be in a few weeks." He looked around at his students before continuing. "I have assigned each of you partners, when I call your name, go sit with the person I tell you to work with." He picked up a small piece of parchment from his desk. "Potter, with Goyle; Longbottom, you're with Crabbe." The class slowly made their way into pairs as Snape told them, until, finally, ". Malfoy, you go with Granger."  
  
Draco went even paler than usual and looked over at Hermione, who was sitting at the other end of the dungeon, staring at Snape with a mixture of deep disbelief and loathing. Slowly, she grabbed her bag, stood up and walked over, muttering to herself as she went and sat in the seat beside Draco.  
  
"I swear, Malfoy, if you ruin my grade, I'll have your head!" Hermione snapped as she got out a bottle of scarlet ink and fresh piece of parchment.  
  
"Why would I want to ruin your grade when it's my grade as well, Granger?" Draco sneered. Hermione ignored him and started writing something down on the parchment. From what Draco could see of it, she had written a heading that said The Polyjuice Potion along the top in a neat scrawl and was getting ready to write notes. Snape stood up from his desk and cleared his throat, getting everyone's attention.  
  
"You and your partners will be making a poster with all the information you find on this potion for homework and in our single lessons. The double lessons will be dedicated to the making of the Potion," Snape informed them. "When your potion is ready, you will each test it by placing a strand of your partner's hair in your potion and if all goes well, you will transform into your partner for an hour. Any questions?" Draco put his hand up. "Yes, Malfoy?"  
  
"What if Granger takes a peek down my pants when she's in my form?" he asked with a smirk in Hermione's direction.  
  
"And why exactly, would I want to take a peek at you, Malfoy?" Hermione asked snappily, going red. "My eyes would probably burn out at the sight!" The Gryffindors howled with laughter at this.  
  
"Silence!" Snape snarled. "I will make sure Granger doesn't take a look at 'you', Malfoy. I unfortunately had to put you two together with the odd number of males and females in this class." He gave Hermione a look of dislike as if it were her fault, before instructing each pair to get a cauldron.  
  
"I really hate you, Malfoy!" Hermione snapped as she dropped a couple of bundles of knotgrass into their cauldron fifteen minutes later. "You know I wouldn't take a look, but you still had to be an evil bastard and embarrass me and make me sound like a filthy pervert."  
  
"Evil bastard am I?" Draco asked, his grey eyes twinkling. "I honestly didn't think you had it in you to call someone that. It might cost you your Head Girl badge." He grinned evilly when he saw some anger building up in her.  
  
"You're just jealous," she retorted, "because I got such an honour." Draco's grin disappeared and anger began to build up in him as well. "It's not an unknown fact about your newly found grudge against Terry. Everyone knows you desperately wanted the job of Head Boy, but you didn't get it because you're an insufferable, selfish bastard with a heart colder than ice!" The whole class was staring at them both now. Draco's face had been reddening with anger at every word that came out of her mouth.  
  
"Oh yeah, well at least I'm better than you, a worthless, filthy, good-for- nothing Mudblood with a head that resembles a dead bush!" Draco snarled. The words had just come out of his mouth and he had put no thought in them at all, but they had had the effect he had wanted. Hermione's face had gone a deep shade of magenta with anger and the Gryffindors looked outright furious.  
  
"Why you -!" Ron had come forward and launched himself at Draco, who copped a strong punch in the nose.  
  
"Enough is enough!" Snape said, stepping forward to break it up as Draco went to return a punch. "How did all this start?"  
  
"Granger started going off her head at me, Professor," Draco replied, "calling me an evil bas-"  
  
"Yeah, well it was your fault!" Hermione said back dryly. "If you hadn't asked that very immature question earlier and made me look like a -"  
  
"Alright, alright. Malfoy, hospital wing, now; Granger - Weasley, detention, see me after class and I'll organise it and forty points from Gryffindor for your childish and violent behaviour," Snape said. "Now, get back to your potions. All of you."  
  
Draco walked silently out of the dungeon, his hand nursing a heavy blood nose. Thoughts were running around his head uncontrollably. Like, why did Hermione react so badly to something he thought was rather . simple? She seemed really upset, either that or she just wanted to have her feelings about him heard.  
  
"Must be that time of the month," Draco muttered with a smirk, as he began to make his way up the marble staircase in the Entrance Hall towards the hospital wing.  
  
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	2. The Illness of Terry Boot

*Title: When Enemies Interact (2/17). *Author: Orla-Destiny. *Author's email: orla_d_22@yahoo.com.au *Disclaimer: J.K.Rowling and her publishers own everything to do with this fic! I own absolutely nothing but the plot!!! *Author Notes: I hope you enjoy and please review!!!  
~ Big thanks to Monique and Sway for beta-ing!!! *P.S: This fic was written before the Order of the Phoenix was released, to all those who read it after that book.  
  
Chapter 2: The Illness of Terry Boot.  
  
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"Just sit down here for a minute while I get something to clean you up with," Madam Pomfrey instructed Draco when he'd reached the infirmary. She walked off into her office; while Draco sat down on the bed she had told him to.  
  
Draco looked around and noticed that there was one other person in the room at the moment, but he was unable to recognise who it was because they were covered mostly with blankets. From what Draco could see, though, they were around the same age as him: seventeen and most definitely male and they seemed to be out cold and ghostly pale.  
  
Madam Pomfrey returned carrying a fluffy white cloth and a bottle of light blue-coloured liquid. Sitting down next to him, she opened the bottle and poured a small amount onto the cloth. "Hopefully this won't sting," she said, before dabbing the cloth near his nostrils. It didn't sting, but it caused Draco to feel a strange sensation run through his still slightly bleeding nose and the little pain he had went away instantly. She dabbed the cloth around his nose a couple more times, then placed the cloth and bottle of liquid on the bedside table before taking out her wand and tapping his nose once to heal it.  
  
"Do you still have a scar, Mr. Malfoy?" she asked abruptly, standing up.  
  
"Huh?" The question had caught him off guard.  
  
"On your arm," the matron said as if he should've known, "From the hippogriff?"  
  
"Oh, yeah, a very faint one," Draco said. It was the truth, even though Madam Pomfrey had managed to heal it, he still had a scar from it. "Who is that?" Draco had looked back over at the other patient as he stood up and his curiosity got the better of him.  
  
"Oh, Terry Boot. He's terribly ill," Madam Pomfrey replied as if she'd rather not talk about it. She then led Draco to the door and opened it. "You better get back to class"  
  
Draco walked out and the matron closed the door behind him as he made his way back downstairs to the dungeons, new thoughts occupying his mind. What was wrong with Boot? He seemed fine that morning at breakfast, laughing with his friends and now he looked like he was on his deathbed.  
  
Walking into the Potions dungeon, he informed Snape of his return and walked back over to where he was working with Hermione. She had finished adding all the ingredients for now and was sitting at their table reading her Defence Against the Dark Arts book once more.  
  
"Your little boyfriend is in the hospital wing, Granger," he said as he took the seat beside her.  
  
"No he's not, Malfoy, he's over there working with Goyle," Hermione replied, not looking up, but pointing in the direction of Harry.  
  
"I'm not talking about Potter," Draco snapped.  
  
"Then who are you talking about, Malfoy? Harry's my only boyfriend you know," Hermione said irritably.  
  
"You're going out with Potter?" Draco asked. Hermione nodded. "OK then, your boyfriend isn't in the hospital wing, but one of your friends is."  
  
"And who would that be, Malfoy?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Boot. Madam Pomfrey told me he's 'terribly ill' and believe me he didn't look well either. Out cold and as pale as a ghost." A small smile played on Draco's lips as he reached into his bag and grabbed his Arithmancy book to read. He knew he was being mean, but he couldn't help it, he really hated Boot.  
  
"You are so terrible, Malfoy," Hermione declared angrily, "smiling at the thought of someone being horribly ill, even if you do hate him. What if he dies, you'll regret it then, won't you?"  
  
Draco didn't reply. He honestly didn't know if he would or not so he continued to read his book without a word. Several minutes passed in silence before Hermione broke it. "Sorry about before," she muttered, "I just sort of . lost control."  
  
"Looks like little Miss Hermione Granger isn't perfect after all. Though, I wouldn't call hair like that perfect," Draco smirked, staring pointedly at her bushy hair. He ignored the glare he was receiving from Hermione and continued to read his book in silence.  
  
A loud explosion from behind them interrupted the silence after a few minutes and turning around in his seat, Draco saw that Neville and Crabbe's cauldron had melted and a bright green liquid was oozing everywhere and streaming towards where he and Hermione were sitting. Standing up, he made to stand on his chair, but Hermione stopped him.  
  
"It's melting everything in sight, it's no use, we have to stop it," she said, looking frantically around. "Where is Snape?" Draco shrugged, looking around as well. He didn't know where Snape was, but he was definitely not here. Looking back at Hermione, he saw her taking off her robes, which looked awfully new. She went to place them in the path of the spillage, but Draco stopped her for some reason. Taking off his own robes, which were much older and thinner than hers, he placed them on the floor in a bundle to stop the potion oozing any closer. The potion burnt several large holes in the dark cotton, but it seemed to work.  
  
Looking over at Crabbe and Neville, Draco had to force himself not to laugh. Neville looked very close to having a nervous breakdown with the bottom of his robes and pants burnt off right up to his knees. All the Slytherins were howling with laughter, except for himself and Crabbe, who had copped a large amount of potion himself.  
  
He turned his head to look over at Hermione, and saw she hadn't put her robes back on yet and was muttering under her breath, evidently trying to think of a spell that would clean up the mess. She was standing there wearing jeans and a red tank top that had a gold star on it, her wand out. "Clenace," he heard her say with a wave of her wand. Instantly, the liquid disappeared, leaving the stone floor clean and dry. She smiled triumphantly and turned to Draco. "I believe they're your robes, Malfoy," she said, pointing to the soaking black bundle on the ground. Draco reached down to pick them up, but was interrupted by the dungeon door opening with a BANG and Snape re-entering.  
  
"Malfoy, Granger, Dumbledore wants to see you in his office, now," he said. "I'll get Weasley to tell you about your detention, Granger."  
  
Hermione looked at Draco and they grabbed their bags and things and headed out the door. "Oh no," Hermione was muttering to herself. "You don't think this is about the fight, do you?" she asked Draco. Draco shrugged. He had a feeling it was and he wasn't exacting looking forward to a long lecture from the headmaster.  
  
They reached the hidden entrance to Dumbledore's office in silence. Draco turned to Hermione. "Do you know the password?" he asked.  
  
Hermione nodded and said, "Fizzing Whizzbee." The stone gargoyle in front of them hopped to the side as the wall behind it split in two. Silently they entered and made their way up the revolving spiral staircase to Dumbledore's office, where the doors stood open, and they entered. Professor Dumbledore, with his long silver beard and hair was sitting at his desk, smiling at them.  
  
Draco looked around. He had been in Dumbledore's office only one other time and that was in his fifth year when he was a Prefect. In fact, he was with Hermione then, too, and they had been complaining about Professor McGonagall making them do duties together. There were a few new trinkets and artefacts in there now, but there was still Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix on his golden perch, the Sorting Hat on the shelf behind the desk and a couple of other things he had taken a lot of notice of in his first visit. He looked back at Dumbledore, who was playing with something small and silver.  
  
"I have brought you here to tell you that Terry Boot, our Head Boy, is awfully ill. Draco, Madam Pomfrey told me you saw him in the hospital wing, so you would've seen how ill he looked. He has a very serious virus - not contagious thank goodness - and his parents are coming up to get him in the morning and he may not return before the end of the year," Dumbledore informed them.  
  
"But I saw him this morning and he looked perfectly fine," Hermione said, looking rather confused.  
  
"Yes, I saw him this morning as well," Dumbledore said gravely, "but he fainted in his Charms class this morning and hasn't woken since and he's been getting worse ever since his friends took him to the hospital wing.  
  
"Now you do understand, Miss Granger that once he is at home, he will be unable to do his job as Head Boy, so that's why Draco is here. Draco, am I correct in saying that you will take this badge and do Terry's job?" Dumbledore said. Dumbledore was holding up the small silver thing he had been playing with. It was the Head Boy Badge, freshly polished with the letters HB engraved in it.  
  
"Yes sir," Draco replied, having a hard time believing it. He looked over at Hermione, who had sat in a seat in front of the headmaster's desk. She looked stunned and was staring at Dumbledore with a mixture of shock and disbelief. "But I don't think she'd like it if I accepted." Draco didn't know why he had said that. He had wanted to be Head Boy for an awful long time and now that the opportunity had come up, he was refusing it because he knew Hermione - one of his enemies - wouldn't like it.  
  
Dumbledore then turned to Hermione. She looked over at Draco, who was looking at the badge with longing. "I wouldn't mind," she said, turning back to Dumbledore. "We'd just have to make it so we didn't argue all the time, I guess." Dumbledore smiled and looked back at Draco, who walked forward and took the badge as politely as he could.  
  
"Thank-you Professor," he said, "I'm sure Granger - sorry, Hermione and I will work something out."  
  
"Very well," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling, "You may leave, lunch will begin soon."  
  
Draco and Hermione walked out of the office, back down the revolving staircase and back out into the corridor with the stone gargoyle.  
  
"Why?" Draco asked. Hermione looked at him strangely and he continued. "Why in Merlin's name did you lie?"  
  
Hermione sighed loudly before responding. "I knew how much you wanted it. I could see it in your eyes," she replied, "I do hope we get along, though, because otherwise, I'll probably stress out terribly and hand my own badge in. I know what it feels like wanting something really bad, working your butt off to get it but you never do."  
  
"But you got Head Girl straight off," Draco stated.  
  
"Yes, but there have been other things that I've wanted and it turned out like that, not getting it, and besides, with getting Head Girl, I had tough competition and I started to think I'd never get it," Hermione said. "Susan Bones was a strong opposition. I think she wanted a little more glory for Hufflepuff."  
  
Draco snorted. "Hufflepuff won't get all that much glory while Potter's here," he said.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione snapped.  
  
"Well, Potter's fame for one; his small amount of Quidditch talent; his past and his bravery to fight the Dark Lord. Gryffindor is always going to stand out more than us others while he's here." He shook his head. "I honestly don't see why you're going out with him."  
  
Hermione sighed, "Why?"  
  
"Because he goes looking for trouble and ends up in great danger, the Dark Lord will probably kill him one of these days and you'll be a weeping wreck," Draco said. "Either that or he'll break your heart. I've seen the way he looks at that Weasley girl ."  
  
Hermione looked horrified at both ideas, but she recovered quickly and looked suddenly angry. "Why would you care, Malfoy?" she asked irritably. "It's my life. I made the mistake in kissing Harry back on that stupid night at Ron's house over the summer. I put his and my friendship at risk when I said yes when he asked me out. I'm the one who put me in this mess, unable to dump him unless I want to ruin our bloody friendship."  
  
Draco stared at her troubled face. She was a nervous and emotional wreck and he felt she needed a break or something.  
  
"I'm sorry, I just l-" she began, looking away to calm down.  
  
"Lost control," Draco finished for her. "Look you should really have some Anti-depressing Potion or something." Hermione glared at him. "I'm going to lunch and talk to Weasley or someone about your problems, not me. I really don't care."  
  
Draco turned and headed down the marble staircase to head to the Great Hall for lunch, wondering why she was telling him all this and was out of Hermione's sight in a minute.  
  
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	3. Hermione's Problems

*Title: When Enemies Interact (3/17). *Author: Orla-Destiny. *Author's email: orla_d_22@yahoo.com.au *Disclaimer: I quite unfortunately don't own a it of Harry Potter! All J.K. Rowling's!!! *Author Notes: I made Professor Kinklewick (the Ancient Runes teacher) up, as well as the Slytherin girl Draco is with - Louise Hunter. Also, I'm aware this fic is OoC!!!  
I hope you liked this chapter. Please review!!!  
~ Thanks to Monique and Sway for beta-reading!!! *P.S: This fic was written before the Order of the Phoenix was released, to all those who read it after that book.  
  
Chapter 3: Hermione's Problems.  
  
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Hermione stared at Draco's retreating back. For the first time in her life, she was agreeing with something he had said. She was losing control of herself, though she didn't like to admit it, and she needed someone or something to stop it.  
  
She didn't know why she had spilled some of her soul out and told him her problems with Harry, but it felt rather good to have her thoughts and feelings heard, even if it was to someone she hated. But she was going to deal with Draco a lot more often now he was Head Boy and with the stupid Potions assignment. She also didn't know why she had said she'd be fine with him being Head Boy, because she most certainly wasn't.  
  
Slowly, she followed Draco's footprints and headed down to the Great Hall for lunch, where she found Harry and Ron sitting at the Gryffindor table. Ron looked extremely angry. Heading over, she gave Harry a very quick kiss on the cheek and sat down next to him.  
  
"You would never guess what that filthy bastard is making us do for detention!" Ron said furiously to Hermione.  
  
"Ron, don't call him that -" Hermione said warningly, but Ron ignored her and interrupted.  
  
"He's making us cut up toad guts!" he said.  
  
"Urgh!" Hermione said, losing her appetite and pushing her plate of food away from her.  
  
"Hermione, you should really eat," Harry said. Hermione shook her head and turned back to Ron, who was still fuming.  
  
"When do we have to do this?" she asked.  
  
"Tomorrow night in dungeon three," Ron answered. Hermione sighed before remembering something and a small smile came to her lips. "It's nothing to smile about, Hermione."  
  
"No, it's just I have a Head duty tomorrow night with Hagrid, and Snape can't not let me go," she said.  
  
"Well that's just bloody brilliant, isn't it, you don't have to cut up frog guts but I do. Excellent!" Ron said sarcastically, his bad mood worsening.  
  
"Come on, Ron, it won't be that bad," Harry said, "We have to handle frog guts in Care of Magical Creatures all the time, and occasionally in Potions." Ron just ignored him and went silent, his bad mood not ceasing.  
  
"I guess I better tell you," Hermione said after a while, "Terry's extremely ill and is going home tomorrow, but the worst thing is, Malfoy's taking up his spot as Head Boy." If it was possible, Ron became even angrier.  
  
"That git, Head Boy, well that's brilliant isn't it, he'll probably treat us the same way Snape does. Taking points off us for no reason," he said. "I feel so sorry for you, Hermione." They went silent again.  
  
Hermione looked at her watch and sighed. "Look, I better go. I've got Ancient Runes," Hermione said, standing up, smiling at Ron and giving Harry a small kiss on the lips. "I'll see you two later. And cheer up, Ron."  
  
Hermione exited the Great Hall and made her way up the staircase to her Study of Ancient Runes classroom, where her classmates were beginning to assemble. She had her Ancient Runes class with - like Arithmancy - students of her year from all the houses and her only other Gryffindor classmates were Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan. There weren't many people in the class, just a couple of Ravenclaws, four Hufflepuffs, no Slytherins, which was a definite bonus, and of course herself, Dean and Seamus.  
  
Their teacher, Professor Kinklewick, a kind looking witch in her mid thirty's, appeared at the door carrying a box. "We will be spending the lesson in the library to prepare for an assignment I am about to give you," she announced. "Follow me."  
  
The professor started leading her students down the corridor. And after about ten minutes, they reached the eerie silence of the library, with its many shelves and books, headed in and took seats at tables. Hermione sat next to Dean and Seamus.  
  
"I recently was given a few old books from the Ministry of Magic and to my great surprise, they were written in Rune," Kinklewick said. "I have the books here, and would like you to translate them as an assignment. There will be three groups - one of you Hufflepuffs will have to join the Ravenclaws, please - and each group will have one of these books -" She held up a medium-sized book with a thick blue-coloured cover -"I believe you are all capable of doing this, but you may have to do a bit of research before or after you start -that's why I brought you here. Any questions?" No one moved except for Susan Bones of Hufflepuff, who joined the Ravenclaws as Kinklewick requested. "Here are your books." Kinklewick gave each group a book. "Begin."  
  
Hermione felt rather excited about this. She loved testing her skills and knowledge, but when she looked over at Dean and Seamus, who she would be working with, she saw they didn't share her excitement. Seamus looked utterly dumbstruck as he looked through the book, while Dean wasn't looking at all confident about this as he looked over Seamus' shoulder.  
  
"How long do we have to do this, Professor?" Dean asked Kinklewick as she passed.  
  
"Until the end of this term, Mr. Thomas," she replied, "I think that will be long enough." As they had only started the school some five weeks before hand, they had plenty of time as long as they didn't leave it long. "I think you will do well, especially with you, Miss Granger." Hermione went pink in the cheeks and smiled widely.  
  
"We better get to work then, shall we," said Dean, as Kinklewick headed over to help the Ravenclaws and Susan. He got a quill and a bottle of ink out of his bag and they set to work. By the end of the lesson, they had made more progress than the other groups and had translated five and half pages, revealing that the book seemed to be someone's old diary.  
  
* - ~ * ~ - *  
  
Yawning, Hermione approached the portrait of the Fat Lady in her pink silk dress and the entrance to Gryffindor Tower. "Password?" the Fat Lady asked her.  
  
"Draco volans," Hermione said dully. The portrait swung forward on its hinges to reveal a hole in the wall, which Hermione entered the Gryffindor common room through.  
  
"Hey, Hermione," Ron said as she walked over to where he and Harry were playing chess. "Want a game of chess?" He looked back at the board and smiled triumphantly. "Knight to H, 3." His knight moved across the board and stopped near Harry's king. "Ha, Checkmate."  
  
"Not a surprise," Harry muttered, leaning back in his chair.  
  
"So, you want a game, Hermione?" Ron asked. Hermione opened her mouth to reply, but Harry cut in front of her.  
  
"No, she's coming for a walk with me,' he said. Hermione looked over at him, surprised, and she saw him smile and lick his lips slowly.  
  
She badly wanted to say "no" but she couldn't find the courage, so she said, "Indeed I am," instead.  
  
Ten minutes later, she found herself standing with Harry in an empty classroom, kissing him passionately. Even though she disliked having this kind of relationship with him, she found Harry an extremely good kisser and found his kisses quite hard to resist. They were so absorbed in each other that they didn't hear the door open or someone else's presence.  
  
"God, couldn't you two have locked the door or something?" It was Draco, who had come with Louise Hunter, a pretty Slytherin girl from their year.  
  
"Sorry, Malfoy, we didn't think we'd be interrupted," Harry said coldly, breaking the kiss and looking at him. Draco turned his gaze to Hermione, who looked uncomfortable and seemed to be fighting the urge to run out of the classroom, away from Harry.  
  
"Well do you mind leaving? I think you've -" Draco began, but he was interrupted by someone entering the room.  
  
"What is going on?" It was Professor McGonagall. "Out, all of you and go back to your common rooms, now and stay there. I honestly thought better of you Miss Granger, and you Malfoy, than sneaking into empty classrooms to be with someone." They all obeyed and walked passed McGonagall to exit the classroom silently.  
  
Back in the Gryffindor common room, Hermione decided to leave Harry with Ron and go up to bed as she was immensely tired.  
  
Climbing into bed, she grabbed her diary, a small, padlocked, purple- covered book, from inside the drawer of her bedside table. "Alohomora," she muttered, tapping the small lock with her wand. The small book opened and Hermione flipped to a blank page, grabbed some ink and a quill and began to write.  
  
September 24th, 1997.  
  
Dear Diary,  
  
I'm unfortunately still with Harry. You know it would be hard for me to just dump him. It'd ruin our friendship. I need something to happen so he gets the idea or something that I'm not happy, because I'm not. Goodness my life is a disaster at the moment and to top it all off, Terry has come down with some serious virus and is going home tomorrow, but that's not the problem. The problem is that Draco Malfoy is taking up his spot as Head Boy and I tell you about Malfoy, he seems to live to make my life miserable, but he was rather alright towards me today (for once) when I once again (I know it's a bad habit of mine lately) lost control and told him about my problems with Harry. He even suggested I talk to Ron or take some Anti-depressing Potion and maybe he's right. But still, Malfoy couldn't possibly have a good side, so with him as Head Boy, my life will probably turn to hell.  
  
Thanks,  
~ Hermione.  
  
Hermione closed her diary with a sigh and relocked it securely. Even though she had only written it down, she felt somewhat better now she had let her problems out and had no one comment on them. She didn't really have anyone to say them out loud to, so a diary was really all she had.  
  
Placing the book back in the drawer of her bedside table, she snuggled down under the covers of her bed and reached over to turn off her lamp. As her head hit the pillow and she closed her eyes, all her thoughts and problems flew from her mind and she fell asleep instantly.  
  
* - ~ * ~ - *  
  
Next morning, Hermione woke up and stretched widely, a smile on her face, but it faded quickly as she remembered the events of the previous day. Draco was Head Boy and they would have their first duty together that night, going into the forest with Hagrid to find some injured griffin. She honestly didn't see how that would be better than cutting up frog intestines with Ron.  
  
Getting out of bed, she got dressed and headed down to the common room, where a dozen or so people were sitting around talking or doing last-minute homework. She crossed it and exited through the portrait hole. Her mind was still predicting how Draco would torture her during their duty that evening and she wasn't paying much attention to where she was going and bumped into someone.  
  
"Watch where you're going, Granger!" It was Draco. "I was just coming to give you a message from McGonagall. We don't have to find that stupid griffin in the forest tonight with Hagrid. He's already found it."  
  
Hermione breathed a sigh of relief, even if it did mean she'd be cutting up frog intestines that night instead. "Thank-you for passing the message on, Malfoy, now, can you please leave me alone." She made to walk passed him, but Draco stopped her.  
  
"Did you want to say goodbye to Boot, because his parents just arrived to take him home and I expect they'll be leaving soon, so if you did ." he said.  
  
"No. Now please, leave me alone, I really don't need you here bothering me," Hermione said.  
  
"Bloody hell, Granger, you're free to go!" Draco snarled. "I'm just trying to be civil. May I remind you that you're the one who thinks we have to start to get along now I'm Head Boy."  
  
"We do have to get along, but I'm not in the mood to be 'civil' with you at the moment, Malfoy."  
  
"Look, Granger, I don't care if you're not in the mood, we should start now, or else we'll never get along. You also owe me a thank-you for last night. I knew you two were in there kissing, and I knew that you probably weren't enjoying it, so I walked in there with Louise as we headed towards the library to do our Charms homework. I of course told Louise it would piss you two off, not to help you," Draco said.  
  
"Fine, thank-you, but it was really McGonagall who made us leave," Hermione replied.  
  
"So it was, but I attracted her to where we were," Draco said.  
  
"Fine. Thank-you, Malfoy," Hermione sighed. "Now leave please."  
  
Draco turned on his heel and headed back in the direction he came from, leaving Hermione to ponder. He had actually tried to talk to her, but she had just given him the cold shoulder and told him to leave her alone, even though he wasn't bothering her, and it made her think one peculiar thought: Maybe he wasn't all that bad.  
  
* - ~ * ~ - *  
  
Back in her dormitory at morning break, Hermione took out her diary once more and wrote in royal blue ink:  
  
September 25th, 1997.  
  
Dear Diary,  
  
Today's been a bit better - so far anyway. I haven't had to kiss Harry once yet, which is a definite change, but there's one small problem: I think I'm beginning to like Malfoy in a friendly way! Goodness knows why, but I feel - at the moment - that I need a friend I can talk to and for some very strange reason, I'm beginning to believe Malfoy may very well fill that requirement! I just have to, somehow, get him to like me and be .pleasant to be around, which doesn't seem an easy task at all and he probably never would, anyway!  
  
Thanks,  
~ Hermione.  
  
Strange, but possibly true.  
  
* - ~ * ~ - * - ~ * ~ - * - ~ * ~ - * - ~ * ~ - * - ~ * ~ - * - ~ * ~ - * - ~ * ~ - * - ~ * ~ - * 


	4. The Words from his Lips

*Title: When Enemies Interact (4/17). *Author: Orla-Destiny. *Author's email: orla_d_22@yahoo.com.au *Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with the Harry Potter series!!! *Author Notes: Hope you like this chapter as well. One little note, I know everyone is a bit OoC in this story and I'm sorry for that. I am also aware that Professor McGonagall usually doesn't praise students like she does to Hermione early in this chapter!  
Please review!!!  
~ Thanks to Monique and Sway for beta-reading!!! *P.S: This fic was written before the Order of the Phoenix was released, to all those who read it after that book.  
  
Chapter 4: The Words from his Lips.  
  
* - ~ * ~ - * - ~ * ~ - * - ~ * ~ - * - ~ * ~ - * - ~ * ~ - * - ~ * ~ - * -  
~ * ~ - * - ~ * ~ - *  
  
Draco walked towards Professor McGonagall's office in an agitated mood. McGonagall had told him to go there to organise his first duty, which would no doubt be with Hermione.  
  
For some reason, he felt uneasy around Hermione lately and he suspected it had to do with the way she just kept letting her problems out. It was as if she had no one but him to tell them to. But she just said it her "losing control" of herself as if that was natural. She really needed to break up with Harry, as it was the relationship between them that was the problem, but she just wouldn't break up with him, even though she wanted to.  
  
He reached McGonagall's office and entered. Hermione was sitting at the teachers' desk, opposite McGonagall, who was praising her for her wonderful Transfiguration in class earlier.  
  
"Ah, Mr. Malfoy," McGonagall said, looking up at Draco. "Sit down, please." Draco obeyed and sat in the seat next to Hermione.  
  
"Your first duty will be tonight, in dungeon three and you will be cleaning it," McGonagall said. "You two unfortunately have to do it as there is no one on detention this week, and the house-elves are extremely busy at the moment. I'm very sorry." Draco and Hermione nodded. "Meet me there at eight o'clock, please. You may leave."  
  
Draco and Hermione got up from their chairs and left the room silently.  
  
"Cleaning," Draco muttered, "I honestly didn't think I'd have to do something like this as Head Boy."  
  
"You don't usually do this kind of thing as a Head duty," Hermione replied. "But I agree, it's like detention and worse, it's in the room Ron and I had to cut toad guts up in for detention last night and we, er, didn't clean up after ourselves." She smiled guiltily.  
  
"That's brilliant, Granger," Draco said sarcastically and rather irritably, "I have to help you clean up your mess. Just brilliant."  
  
"Well, at least I don't have to spend another night with Harry," Hermione said with a strained smile. Draco looked sideways at her.  
  
"And that's supposed to mean something to me, how?" he asked. Hermione narrowed her eyes. "Anyway, how is spending a night with me better than spending one with Potter?"  
  
"Well, I'm not going to be kissing you, am I?" Hermione said snappishly.  
  
"You're definitely right there, Hermione," Draco said. He mentally hit himself, hoping she hadn't noticed he had said her first name, but she had.  
  
"Hermione? You called me Hermione?" Hermione said in disbelief.  
  
"Well, that's your name, isn't it?" Draco said, trying to cover it up.  
  
"Yes, but you never call me by my first name, just like I never do with you," Hermione stated. They had stopped walking now and were standing in a narrow and empty corridor.  
  
"It just slipped, alright," Draco said rather irritably. "I'll see you tonight." He continued down the corridor quickly, leaving Hermione alone, standing in the middle of the corridor, staring at his retreating back in disbelief, thinking the same thought as him: Did he really just slip?  
  
* - ~ * ~ - *  
  
Draco entered dungeon three to see Professor McGonagall already standing with Hermione. He headed over.  
  
"Now," McGonagall said, "You may use your wands if you wish, but there are some things, such as these intestine-covered tables, that will need scrubbing thoroughly. The cleaning supplies are over there in that storage cupboard -" She indicated the door at the far side of the dimly lit dungeon "- I'll be back in about an hour to check on you - hopefully you're finished by then." Draco and Hermione nodded and she left the dungeon silently. Draco looked around.  
  
"You can clean the tables," he said, "It's your mess after all. I'll clean these flasks and vials." Hermione nodded and set off to get the cleaning supplies. Draco watched her retreating back, before turning to the stone basin, which was surrounded by empty glass flasks, test tubes, measuring cups and vials. He turned on the taps and by the time Hermione had returned, the sink was full of warm water.  
  
"Here," Hermione said, coming over and handing him a small plastic bottle filled with a thick yellow liquid. "It's dishwashing liquid," she said as he looked at the bottle quizzically. "You just pour a small amount into the water and soapy bubbles are formed. It helps to clean dishes thoroughly." Draco nodded and poured about a quarter of a cup into the water, which Hermione thought was a bit too much, but she just turned around and began to scrub the filthy tables clean with no comment.  
  
"We don't use this stuff out of a bottle in the wizarding world usually," Draco said, indicating the bottle of dishwashing liquid. "It comes out of our wands, and it's fluorescent blue, not yellow. At home, we have a tap for the stuff, just turn it on and it pours out, rather convenient actually." Hermione turned to look at him, the scrubbing brush she was using still in her hand. Was he really trying to make conversation with her?  
  
"Who does the dishes at your house, anyway?" Hermione asked. "I mean, you haven't got Dobby anymore." The flask Draco was now washing nearing dropped out of his hands and he turned to face her abruptly.  
  
"How do you know about Dobby?"  
  
"Well, Harry tricked your father into freeing him, and well, Harry told me and I know Dobby fairly well now that he's working here at Hogwarts," Hermione replied. "I honestly thought you knew all about it."  
  
"Dobby's working here?" Draco said. Hermione nodded. "I was punished if I didn't bully Dobby when we had him, but I never wanted to. I kind of had a soft spot for the little guy to be honest." Hermione could hardly believe her ears. Draco, have a soft spot for Dobby, 'the little guy'! "He hated me, just like he hated my father. I don't blame him for coming to work here." He went silent and returned to the dishes, while Hermione continued to scrub the tables, which were slowly coming clean.  
  
After about half an hour of mostly silence, the silence was interrupted by a dull thump on the door. Hermione and Draco exchanged curious looks and crept towards the door, slowly and quietly opened it and looked down the dimly lit dungeon hallway and saw in shock the cause of the noise. A boy and girl, both around their age with their lips locked together. The boy was pressing the girl against the wall opposite them and a couple of metres to the left. They were kissing each other with both force and passion, their features hidden in the shadows, but the moment they came into clearer view, Draco heard Hermione gasp and go rigid beside him, and he knew why. There was no mistaking the messy, jet black hair on the boy, unmistakably Harry and the girl with her vivid red hair and small figure, definitely Ginny, Ron's younger sister.  
  
Draco grabbed Hermione's upper arm and dragged her back into the dungeon, before Harry and Ginny noticed their presence, and closed the door. Draco released his grip on Hermione's arm and she slowly made her way over to one of the scrubbed tables and sat down, her cheeks pale and her brown eyes brimming with tears. Draco went over to her and sat down next to her.  
  
"You were right," Hermione said, her voice shaking slightly. "You-you said he'd either get killed or break my heart and you were right. He's broken my heart."  
  
"I didn't think he would break your heart," Draco admitted, "I honestly didn't want to think it." The words just swam from his mouth and he wasn't sure if they were true or not.  
  
"Well, that's a lie," Hermione said. "You don't care about me. You're probably happy Harry's gone out and hurt me, though it will make it easier for me to dump him tomorrow." She was amazed at how calmly she said this, but Draco didn't take it very calmly.  
  
"Bloody hell, Granger," Draco sneered, "You'll never let me be nice to you, will you? I do care about you, even though I don't like admitting it. God, if someone went to kill you, I'd try my best to save your life, even it meant I'd be killed myself!" Again, the words flew from his mouth and he couldn't stop them. Hermione stared at him in cold disbelief.  
  
"If you're just saying all this to make me look like a fool, Malfoy, I swear I'll hurt you! Even if you are Head Boy and I'm Head Girl, you don't care about me and you would never do that, you hate me!" Hermione said.  
  
"And you hate me!" Draco said angrily. He stood up and walked over to the supplies cupboard and grabbed a broom to start sweeping. When he re- entered the dungeon, he saw Hermione with her head in her arms, crying. He felt his anger fade instantly at the sight.  
  
"When are we starting on our poster for Potions, Granger?" he asked as he swept the floor under her desk.  
  
"Er . T-tomorrow night in the-the library at se-seven o'clock," she replied. Her voice was muffled from crying and her words were only just distinguishable. Draco nodded, even though she couldn't see him. He continued to sweep.  
  
"What do you want me to bring with me?" he asked. Hermione sat up, her head no longer in her arms, showing her tear-streaked face and swollen red eyes.  
  
"I have the poster parchment, so you should just bring a quill, some ink - different colours if you can- and I'll supply the rest," she replied, wiping the tears away from her face. Draco nodded again.  
  
"Can you lift your legs so I can sweep under your feet?" he asked. Hermione swung back abruptly in her chair so it was balancing on it's back legs, but she had moved so fast she was unable to keep balance and she went falling to the floor. When she was only inches from the hard, cold, stone floor, Draco caught her around the waist and stood her up straight. She was holding onto Draco's shoulders for support and looked rather embarrassed. Draco kept his hands on her waist for a moment before pulling them away quickly, as if he shouldn't have been.  
  
"Thanks," Hermione mumbled, going pink in the cheeks and letting go of Draco's shoulders.  
  
"I told you I cared and I do," Draco replied. Hermione just rolled her eyes and turned to finish scrubbing the last table.  
  
Another half an hour passed and they were finally finished. Draco had conversed with Hermione about Quidditch, saying he was looking forward to the upcoming season and first match: Slytherin vs. Gryffindor, while Hermione had told him about what it felt like growing up as a Muggle to help pass time as they worked.  
  
About five minutes after they finished, Professor McGonagall returned with a faint smile on her face.  
  
"Well done, both of you," she said. "I'm sorry I had to make your first duty so bad, Malfoy, but it had to be done, and you've both done a very good job. Now, please leave and go straight to your dormitories." Draco and Hermione nodded and walked out passed her to leave for their separate dormitories.  
  
* - ~ * ~ - *  
  
The next day was Saturday and Hermione got up early with a small smile playing on her lips, but it soon faded as the events of the night before floated back into her head. She had seen Harry being very intimate with Ginny, behind her back, and she was now about to face dumping him, but she wasn't as scared as she was now she knew he was cheating on her. It made her blood boil with anger. She deserved better than him and she honestly didn't care if it broke up their friendship as well.  
  
Suddenly, another thought occupied her. What if Ron took Harry's side? If he did, she would lose both her best friends and she didn't have many more friends she could talk to about the things going on in her life. Ginny would definitely take Harry's side; Parvati and Lavender would tell the world; Neville was useless and Dean and Seamus probably wouldn't care. She really didn't have anyone. Terry would've been possible, but he was no longer at Hogwarts and his Head Boy job had gone to Draco.  
  
Suddenly, Hermione remembered what Draco had said the night before. He cared about her, though he hated to admit it, yet two days before, when she had "lost control" and told him her problems with Harry, he had walked away saying she should talk to someone else about it because he didn't care.  
  
"God, he is confusing," Hermione thought out loud. But she decided that that night, when she met him in the library to do their Potions poster, she would find out if he really did care about her or not. She also decided to try to talk to him, as he was really the only person she had and could trust at the moment. Him and a diary anyway, but she felt she needed someone, or something, who could talk back, and a diary couldn't do that.  
  
*  
  
After breakfast, Hermione headed back up to Gryffindor Tower to find Harry. She entered the common room through the portrait hole and found Harry sitting with Ron by the empty fireplace, playing Exploding Snap. As she approached them, Harry looked up at her and gave her a sweet smile she didn't return. She instead took a seat on the couch next to Ron, away from Harry, whose smile slowly faded.  
  
"What's the matter?" he asked. Hermione looked at him with a sober expression. Harry frowned.  
  
"You should know, Harry," Hermione replied, folding her arms under her breasts and leaning back on the couch. Harry's expression just became more confused. "I can't believe you, Harry. I thought I could trust you, but I was very wrong in thinking that. Wasn't I enough? Did you really have to get a bit more off someone else?"  
  
"What are you talking about, Hermione?" Harry asked. Hermione suddenly became very angry. He was trying to cover it up, deny it.  
  
"You know exactly what I'm talking about, Harry!" Hermione said angrily. "I saw you down in the dungeon hallway with Ginny last night, kissing her as if it was the best thing you'd ever experienced. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if you went and found an empty room and shagged her right then and there, you cheating bastard!" She was red with anger, and her breathing was ragged. Taking a deep, steady breath, she continued, "I was doing a Head duty with Draco in dungeon three: the dungeon you were outside and I saw a fair amount of it. You've broken my heart, Harry, and I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive you for it. We're over. Thanks for the pleasure while it lasted, Harry." She stood up and looked down at Ron, who was looking from one to the other, obviously too shocked to speak. Harry just sat in his armchair, white in shock, staring at Hermione.  
  
Hermione turned away and slowly headed to the staircase that led up to the girls' dormitories, bus as she reached them, Harry spoke and she turned back around to face him.  
  
"I'm sorry, Hermione, I should've told you, I just didn't want to break your heart, even though I still did. I don't expect you to forgive me, I don't deserve that, but just remember, I love you, just not as much as I love Ginny. I'm so sorry," Harry said, "I know it's too late."  
  
Hermione just looked at him for a moment, before turning and heading up to her dormitory, which was empty. She got out one of her Potions books and sat down on her bed to read it, when there was a knock on the door. "Come in," she called. The door opened and Ron stepped in. "What is it, Ron?"  
  
He took a deep breath. "Why did you call Malfoy by his first name back there?" he asked, frowning slightly. Hermione's eyes widened in shock.  
  
"I-I didn't, did I?"  
  
"Yes. You said that you were doing a Head duty with Draco last night when you saw Harry," Ron said.  
  
"I guess I just slipped or something," Hermione said, still looking shocked.  
  
"Hermione, do you like Malfoy?" Ron asked.  
  
"No, of course not!" Hermione said. "That's absurd!" Ron looked Hermione up and down, as if trying to see if she was lying, shrugged, looking slightly upset with her, turned and exited the room, leaving Hermione with new, confused thoughts.  
  
She had called Draco by his first name, as if it was some everyday, natural thing to do. What did this mean? Did this mean she actually was beginning to like him just as Ron had asked, or did she just slip, like he had earlier.?  
  
* - ~ * ~ - *  
  
Draco walked down a corridor towards the library silently. He was going there to get some books on the Polyjuice Potion for that night, when he would be working on the Potions poster with Hermione. He was about to round the corner into the corridor with the library, when a door nearby opened and distracted him. He watched as Harry walked out, hand in hand with Ginny. He narrowed his eyes at them and caught a bit of their conversation.  
  
".Well at least we don't have to be secretive anymore, now she knows and we've broken up," Harry was saying. "Ron's all upset with her because she called Malfoy by his first name -" He stopped as he saw Draco, who continued to walk towards the library and entered it. He walked over to the Potions section and took a few books on Advanced Potions and what they do off the shelves. He then sat down at a table and opened one of the books, but he wasn't reading it, his mind was on other things instead.  
  
Harry had said that he and Hermione had broken up, so Hermione must have dumped him, finally. Then Harry had said that Ron was upset with her because she had called him, Draco, by his first name, which she definitely didn't do often. Had she just slipped like he had earlier.?  
  
Draco smiled as he remembered what it felt like, holding her the night before after she had lost balance on her chair and the way she had held onto his shoulders to keep balance . He mentally slapped himself. He didn't enjoy holding her like that, he couldn't, it wasn't possible. He hated her.  
  
But he was beginning to believe he didn't. He had told her just the night before that he cared about her. And now he was smiling at the thought of her.  
  
He couldn't possibly be beginning to like her, could he?  
  
* - ~ * ~ - * - ~ * ~ - * - ~ * ~ - * - ~ * ~ - * - ~ * ~ - * - ~ * ~ - * -  
~ * ~ - * - ~ * ~ - * 


	5. In the Library

*Title: When Enemies Interact (5/17). *Author: Orla-Destiny. *Author's email: orla_d_22@yahoo.com.au *Disclaimer: I own nothing!!! All J.K. Rowling's!!! *Author Notes: A bit OoC again, I know and I'm sorry for that! Please review!!!  
~ Thanks to Monique and Sway for beta-reading!!! *P.S: This fic was written before the Order of the Phoenix was released, to all those who read it after that book.  
  
Chapter 5: In the Library.  
  
* - ~ * ~ - * - ~ * ~ - * - ~ * ~ - * - ~ * ~ - * - ~ * ~ - * - ~ * ~ - * -  
~ * ~ - * - ~ * ~ - *  
  
Hermione sat on her bed, watching the second hand on her alarm clock tick away. She wasn't sure if she should go down to the Great Hall for dinner now and face Harry, or later when she wouldn't. She of course had to keep in mind that she had to meet Draco in the library at seven o'clock, but she was having no problem in doing that, as he hadn't left her mind all day.  
  
She smiled slightly as she remembered how he had caught her when her chair lost balance and she remembered vaguely that he had stared at her in content as he had held her steady for those few seconds. The way his silver-blonde hair was tousled from flicking it back several times while sweeping. The way his grey eyes sparkled in the dim light . She almost slapped herself. She was not thinking of Draco Malfoy in that way; she couldn't think of Draco Malfoy in that way!  
  
But she still was. The image of him just wouldn't leave her head. It just kept circling and circling and she couldn't stop it. She wasn't sure where these feelings had come from, as they had appeared out of nowhere over night, but she knew it had something to do with him saying he cared about her, when she didn't even know if it was even true.  
  
Was it possible that she was falling for him, as she now knew that she liked him? She shook her head as an attempt to rid her mind of these thoughts and stood up. She would go down to the Great Hall and sit as far away from Harry possible, but staying on the Gryffindor table and not look in his direction at all.  
  
Her plan worked well. When she arrived, she saw Harry at the very end of the table, closest to the teachers' table. She sat at the opposite end with a bunch of hyperactive third year girls, one of which was talking about Lavender Brown's younger brother Matthew. From where she was sitting, she had a clear view of the Slytherin table, but she chose not to look in that direction as she had finally got her mind off Draco.  
  
She ate as much as her stomach would take before pushing her plate away from her and stood up to leave. She could feel eyes on her, and in instinct, she looked over at the Slytherin table. There he was, sitting there and staring at her. He made no move to look away when she met his gaze and gave him a small smile she couldn't hold back and she was surprised when he returned it.  
  
Hermione then exited the Hall and as she reached the staircase to head back up to Gryffindor Tower, someone called out to her as they ran towards her.  
  
"Wait, Granger." It was Draco. "Look, how about we meet in the library in about ten minutes? I've just got to get my stuff and I'll be ready, so you can meet me there and we can start a bit early. It's going to be harder than I originally thought after doing a lot of research in the library this afternoon. I only found one bloody book with useful information on this stupid potion in it."  
  
Hermione nodded. "I'll meet you there, then," she replied, turning around and heading up the staircase, wondering when Draco had become the organising type.  
  
*  
  
Draco watched her retreating back and turned around as well, heading in the direction of the dungeons.  
  
He entered the Slytherin common room to find it rather empty. Crabbe and Goyle were sitting around, lazily talking to Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode, while a couple of other people were playing Exploding Snap in which one of them was complaining that they had burnt the tips of their fingers. He crossed the room and took the stairs up to the boys' dormitories two at a time.  
  
When he reached his dormitory, he looked around at Crabbe and Goyle's mess. Things were everywhere. With things such as dirty clothes hanging on the windowsill and lampshades and loose pages from books scattered all over the floor, it was all hard to dodge, but Draco still got to his trunk rather easily. Opening it, he grabbed every bottle of ink he could find (all different colours), his Potions book, a couple of quills and a book of loose parchment to write down notes in. He then headed back down to the common room, told Crabbe and Goyle where he was going, received grunts as replies and exited the cold dungeon common room to head up to the library to meet Hermione.  
  
He reached the eerie silence of the library and took a seat at a table at the back, away from everyone else. Hermione didn't seem to be there yet, so he unpacked his stuff and waited. Five minutes . seven minutes . ten minutes, where was she? The question was answered as Hermione entered, flushed in the face and breathing heavily, as if she had ran there. She slowly approached him and took a seat opposite him on the table.  
  
"Sorry, I-I ran into Professor McGonagall. She kept telling me how wonderful my human transfiguration was," she said. "I also had to find a few things and I got Professor McGonagall to make up this note." She pushed a slip of parchment towards him and he read it.  
  
I, Prof. M. McGonagall, give permission for Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy to enter the Restricted Section of the library to find information on the Polyjuice Potion for a Potions assignment.  
  
And below that was Professor McGonagall's neat, loopy signature.  
  
Draco stood up, the note in his hand. Hermione just looked at him blankly. "Come on," Draco said. Hermione just sat there. "Granger -"  
  
"Alright!" Hermione said irritably and rather loudly, standing up. "I honestly think we should look around these shelves before hand, though."  
  
"I've been searching all day, Hermione, there's absolutely nothing," Draco said back. He had done it again. He had called her by her first name, making Hermione freeze where she stood. "What?"  
  
"You-you said it again," Hermione replied disbelievingly.  
  
"Said what, Granger?"  
  
"You called me by my first name," Hermione said. She was still looking at him in disbelief.  
  
"Is it a crime? You called me by mine in front of Potter and Weasley," Draco said; he kept shifting around uncomfortably.  
  
"How do you know about that?"  
  
"I, er, overheard Potter saying Weasley's upset with you because you did," Draco replied. "It's about time you broke up with him, may I say."  
  
"It's not a crime, it's just you never -" Hermione said.  
  
"Well I'm going to from now on," Draco said, not looking at her. "I find it's rather stupid calling you Granger when I'm around you as much as I have been lately." This took her by surprise, but she got over it quite quickly and nodded in agreement.  
  
"It does sound strange coming from your mouth though, Draco," Hermione said.  
  
"So does my name coming from yours," Draco smirked. "Come on."  
  
They walked over to Madam Pince's desk and handed her the note. She looked from the note to Draco and Hermione, who were standing in front of her. Madam Pince stood up and walked to the rope that divided the Restricted Section from the rest of the library. She unlatched it, let Draco and Hermione enter and re-latched it.  
  
The shelves were divided into small sections, each labeled differently to show what sort of books were there. Madam Pince led them to the Potions section.  
  
"Stay in this section only. I know there is quite a lot of books here that will help you. I have a clear view of you from my desk and I'm keeping a close eye on you," the patron said. She looked mainly at Draco with the last part. "If you have to, you may borrow a couple of books each, just tell me which ones." With that, she left, leaving them alone.  
  
Hermione sighed and got down on her knees to look at the lower shelves. There were several books with titles in different languages and some with none at all. She made her way along the shelves, pulling out books and handing them to Draco, who was standing beside her. She made her way up the shelves, looking for any books she thought might be useful. She made sure she grabbed Moste Potente Potions, a book she knew had the Polyjuice Potion in it. (Her, Harry and Ron had used this book back in their second year when they had made the Polyjuice Potion in secret.) When she had grabbed all the books she believed might come in handy, Draco was weighed down, with only his forehead visible over the pile and he kept staggering slightly to the side due to the weight. Hermione smiled amusedly at the sight and took half the pile from him.  
  
"Thanks," he panted as she did so. "Is this all?"  
  
"I think so. For now at least," Hermione replied. She led the way back into the main part of the library and to their table, where she placed her pile of books, helped Draco with his, though he didn't really need the help, and sat down. Draco followed suit.  
  
"Is living with Muggles hard?" he asked abruptly as he grabbed the topmost book.  
  
It took Hermione a moment to answer as the question had taken her by great surprise. "No, not really," she answered finally. "I grew up thinking I was a Muggle and everything I did was Muggle, with the exception, of course, of being able to do strange things others couldn't. It came as a great surprise to me when I got my letter from Hogwarts; I hadn't even suspected that I was a witch.  
  
"My mum was all excited about the fact of me being magical," Hermione continued. "My dad on the other hand, was not. He despised the idea, and mum had to convince him it was alright and to let me come here. It took an awful lot of persuasion to make him allow it. My mum and dad's relationship hasn't been the same since. They're always fighting and, when I'm home, I have to suffer with it." She went slightly pink and looked down at the book she had grabbed from the pile, as if she felt she had said too much. "Sorry," she said quietly.  
  
"For what?"  
  
"You probably don't want to hear about my boring and problem-filled life," she said, flipping through the pages of the book. "You've already heard enough of it. My feelings about Harry and now this."  
  
"Your home life probably isn't as bad as mine. In fact, I don't think it's possible," Draco said. Hermione looked up. He actually wanted to talk to her about this? What had gotten into him? "When I'm home, my father punishes me for everything, and it's never light. He doesn't punish you with chores, like most normal people, he punishes you with pain. As I said last night, if I was nice to Dobby when we had him, I was guaranteed a beating and a rough one at that. Once, this Muggle boy who lived down the road from me, asked me if I wanted to play some Muggle game with this long, weird-looking bat and this really hard ball -"  
  
"Cricket," Hermione interrupted; Draco looked confused. Hermione elaborated, "The game was probably cricket, or some other Muggle sport. There are lots really."  
  
"Anyway," Draco said, "I decided to play and I admit, it was definitely fun, but father didn't like it at all and punished me for it. It was definitely the worst punishment I've ever gotten."  
  
"What was it?"  
  
"He used the Cruciatus curse on me," Draco replied with a look of fright as he remembered it. Hermione gasped and her hand flew to her mouth in terror. "I was nine at the time," Draco continued with a far away look on his face, "and the pain, as you can imagine, was excruciating. I've been terrified of my father since, though I try not to show it, because my father would punish me for showing fear."  
  
Hermione knew Lucius Malfoy was cruel and evil, but she had never thought he would do something that terrible to his own son. She greatly wanted the subject to change. She didn't like telling people about what it was like for her at home and she also didn't like hearing about other peoples home lives, either, much less Draco's, which seemed terribly tragic.  
  
She went back to looking through the book and a moment later, found something that seemed interesting.  
  
"Draco, I think I've found something," she said. Draco looked up and she took a deep breath. "The Polyjuice Potion is one of the only known liquids that will change the form of one human being to resemble another - Well we knew that already - The Potion was outlawed back in 1954, but the law was later changed for the Potion to be restricted and only to be used for reasons accepted by the Ministry of Magic."  
  
"Well I didn't know that," Draco said. "Did you?"  
  
"No, but I knew there had to be some sort of law against it," Hermione said. "Though, of course, there are some people who don't go by the law. There always is in cases like this."  
  
"There is?"  
  
"Yes. Look at Mr. Crouch's son; he used the Polyjuice Potion to take the form of Mad-eye Moody all through our fourth year," Hermione said, "And I've read about other cases like that." Draco nodded. "Could you pass me a piece of parchment?" Draco ripped a piece out of his book and handed it to her. She jotted down the information and began searching another book.  
  
A whole hour passed while they went through book after book, jotting down notes, though there wasn't many, about everything they found on the Potion, talking every now and then about school work and classes or sharing some information that they had found. It was quite peaceful, but Hermione was still yet to find out if he really did care about her and she was beginning to feel a little nervous about asking him such a question for some reason, so she stuck to talking about her classes to keep her mind off it.  
  
". I have to do this assignment with Dean and Seamus for my Study of Ancient Runes class," Hermione told him. "Professor Kinklewick gave us this book, which is written in Rune, and we have to translate it to English. We've only translated about six or so pages, but it's quite evident that it's someone's old diary."  
  
"I wanted to do the Study of Ancient Runes as a subject, but father said it was a waste of time, doing translations and, well, studying ancient runes," Draco said. Hermione looked offended, making Draco sigh heavily. "It would of course be interesting," he added.  
  
"Oh, it is, it's not just about -" she began, but Draco interrupted.  
  
"Shouldn't we be keeping our minds on Potions, not Ancient Runes?" He made his point and Hermione went back to looking up the Polyjuice Potion.  
  
They were silent for several minutes before Draco let out a breath of irritation and spoke. "This is useless. There's hardly anything on the damn potion in these books," he said, slamming his book shut. "All we've found is some lousy information on it being outlawed and how it's made. Are you sure you got all the books that you thought might be helpful, Hermione?"  
  
"I think so," Hermione said, "But I've got a feeling that maybe there's a book in one of the other sections with lots of information on the Potion, but Madam Pince told us to stay in the Potions section." Draco went to grab another book from the pile, which was only three books high now, but Hermione stopped him. "I think we have to come in here at night, while Madam Pince isn't here and have a look, Draco. Hardly any of these books are helpful and there has to be a book somewhere in this library that will give us enough information for our poster. There just has to be."  
  
Draco stared at her in disbelief for a moment. Hermione Granger, Head Girl and Gryffindor, was willing to risk almost everything, her Head Girl badge and clean record, and sneak into the Restricted Section of the library, after hours, at the dead of night, with him, Draco Malfoy, who was supposed to be her enemy, just for a Potions assignment.  
  
"Alright," Draco said finally, "But we'll have to be careful. I don't know about you, but I don't want to go into the Dark Forest again like in first year or lose my Head Boy badge for that matter."  
  
"Of course we'll be careful," Hermione said in a tone that said he should've known her better than to think she wouldn't be careful. "We just need some sort of plan."  
  
They sat there for another whole half hour, trying to organise a sensible way to get to the library, at midnight, without being seen. It would've been easier to do if Hermione was still on friendly terms with Harry, as she could've borrowed his invisibility cloak. As she wasn't, though, they would have to get there some other way, which was easy, but then there was the possibility of being caught on the way. They decided to sort that out then, as it was hard to know exactly where everyone would be.  
  
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	6. Midnight in the Library

*Title: When Enemies Interact (6/17). *Author: Orla-Destiny. *Author's email: orla_d_22@yahoo.com.au *Disclaimer: I own nothing!!! Besides perhaps the plot. that's mine!!! *Author Notes: There's the first bit of fluff. Bit rushed and (like the previous chapters) OoC, I know. I'm sorry for that!!! Please review!!!  
~ huge thanks to Cedric Diggory, who has taken over beta-reading as Monique and Sway went to Africa for a holiday!!! *P.S: This fic was written before the Order of the Phoenix was released, to all those who read it after that book.  
  
Chapter 6: Midnight in the Library.  
  
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Hermione made sure the common room was empty before heading out the portrait hole, into the dark, deserted corridors of the castle to head towards the library with Draco. She was due to meet him in the Charms corridor along the way.  
  
She walked through the corridors and down a couple of staircases, trying to keep in the shadows to make it harder for anyone to see her. She reached the Charms corridor and saw Draco. His silvery-blonde hair was shining in the moonlight that was coming in through one of the tall windows, which reached ceiling height. She slowly and quietly approached him, still staying in the shadows.  
  
"Sorry I'm a little late," she whispered when she reached him. "I had to wait for Ginny and her friends to go to bed. Harry never came back from Quidditch training tonight and she wouldn't stop worrying."  
  
"Look, we better go, it's almost midnight and I know for a fact that Filch and that damn cat of his patrol these corridors at this time," Draco said quietly. "I learnt that the hard way." Hermione nodded and began to follow him.  
  
They walked down a flight of stairs and down a couple more corridors until they reached the door of the library. Draco looked around them and took out his wand. "Lumos," he muttered. The end of his wand lit up and he turned the doorknob on the door. It was locked. He looked over at Hermione, who rolled her eyes and took out her own wand.  
  
"Alohomora," she murmured, taping the doorknob with her wand. The lock clicked and the door creaked open. Draco entered with Hermione right behind him.  
  
The library was still and silent, but as Draco shone the light of his wand around the large room, they found it wasn't quite empty. Harry, still in his rather muddy Quidditch robes, was sitting at a table close by, using a book as a pillow as he slept soundly. Draco cast a sideways glance at Hermione and saw her looking at Harry with an unreadable expression on her face, before she turned her gaze to the Restricted Section and looked at it in anticipation.  
  
"Come on," he murmured, leading the way over to the rope and stepping over it, Hermione behind him. "Stop breathing so loudly," he snapped quietly.  
  
"Sorry, I'm just a bit . nevermind." She took out her wand again. "Lumos." She headed over to the History of Magic section.  
  
"Just a bit what?" Draco asked quietly, moving towards the Muggle section, which was opposite the History of Magic one.  
  
"I said nevermind."  
  
"Tell me."  
  
"I'm," she hesitated, "a little bit scared of being caught." She looked over at him to see what he did, but he just continued to search the shelves for any book that could possibly have something to do with the Polyjuice Potion in it. She took a deep breath. "Can I ask you a question, Draco?"  
  
"Go ahead."  
  
"Did you mean what you said last night when you said that you-you -" She had a bit of trouble saying it.  
  
"Cared about you," Draco finished, looking over. She nodded. "Yes, I do care about you, Hermione and you can -" He moved his feet uncomfortably "- you can talk to me if you want, about your problems and that." Hermione gave him a small smile.  
  
"Thank-you," she said softly and quietly. "I care about you too." The effect of these words was amazing. Draco's face split into a real smile, one of the first Hermione had ever seen on his face and it made her heart skip a beat. She knew that they were no longer like they were before: enemies; she didn't see him as that anymore. In fact, she now saw him as someone worthy of being a friend.  
  
They were silent for several minutes after that, searching the contents of the dusty shelves, looking in every section. They found nothing relevant in the History of Magic, Muggle, Charms and Spells or Divination sections. They then searched the Dark Arts and Magical Creatures sections, but again they found absolutely nothing. There were only a few sections left to search after that and Hermione was beginning to wonder if there was a book that could really help them. She proved herself wrong, however, when she reached the Transfiguration section and found, almost immediately, a rather thick book with a green cover and the title Transforming Potions written in gold on the spine.  
  
"Draco," Hermione whispered, "I've found something." Draco walked over and knelt next to Hermione, his own wand adding more light as Hermione opened the book. They both scanned the contents page and found The Polyjuice Potion written clearly in green ink in the list. Hermione flipped quickly to the page and began to read aloud.  
  
"The Polyjuice Potion is the most common of all the Transforming Potions and is used most often. It was outlawed in many countries in the 1950's, but there has been exceptions made in many of those countries since that allows you to only use the Potion for special reasons ruled by the country's Ministry of Magic.  
  
"The Potion allows you to take the form of someone else for approximately an hour, but is to be used only for human transformations. Once the potion wears off, you will return to your natural form -" She stopped suddenly, going pale and Draco knew why.  
  
They heard a door slam and it was definitely not from a great distance away. In fact, they were positive it was the library door closing. Was it just Harry leaving or was it someone else who was going to spring out and catch them? The question was answered the moment they heard the greasy voice of Mr. Filch the caretaker.  
  
"Go and find them, my sweet," they heard Filch say. Draco looked over at the entrance to the Restricted Section and saw the shadow of Filch bend down and the shadow of a cat, evidently Mrs. Norris, leap out of his arms. Hermione had gone rigid, staring at the shadows with wide eyes. Finch spoke again: "I know you're in here, no way to escape now. Making a lot of noise you were."  
  
Hermione suddenly came to her senses and quietly closed the book. She grabbed Draco's hand and headed silently to the back of the room, hiding in the shadows as they went. They looked around frantically, trying to find a good place to hide. Suddenly something caught Draco's eye. In the far corner was a low sort of table, covered by a dark sheet. It was their only hope. He pulled her over to it and pulled up the sheet. Hermione looked underneath the table in disbelief.  
  
"Draco," she said in a very quiet whisper, "there's no way we'll be able to sit under there; it's too low."  
  
"Then don't sit, lay," Draco whispered back just as quietly. "It's long enough." Hermione looked at him in disbelief. "Hermione, either co- operate and lay under there, with me on top of you or kiss your Head Girl badge goodbye." Hermione hesitantly nodded and climbed in under the table.  
  
It was lucky that the table was as long as it was, because as Draco carefully climbed in under and got on top of her, his feet would've been seen hanging out the end if it was any shorter.  
  
Draco didn't know why he had decided to get in this position, but he rather liked it. He lay there, on top of her, staring down into Hermione's deep brown eyes, which he, for the first time in his life, noticed were absolutely beautiful, but he also noticed how beautiful her face was too. Her soft, creamy skin, her cute, petite nose, the soft blush on her cheeks, which was growing steadily redder as he studied her and her lips.  
  
Yes, her lips, they were what a lot of Draco's attention was on. Her pink, perfect lips, which he thought looked extremely kissable.  
  
He hadn't even noticed that her hands were on his shoulders and that she was looking up at him, lost in his grey eyes, which had seemed to become slightly warmer as he studied her face. She loved the way his hair fell into his face and the way he had a small smile playing on his lips as he looked at her. She loved the feel of him against her, with his hands resting on her waist, just like he loved the feel of being against her. Neither of them knew where these feelings for each other had come from, but they were definitely there.  
  
Draco slowly brought one of his hands away from her waist and gently stroked her face. He was no longer smiling, he just had a blank look on his face. He pushed a stray strand of her hair behind her ear and slowly, very slowly bent his face down to hers. He kissed her softly on the lips, before leaning back to see her reaction. Her eyes were closed, but she slowly opened them as she licked her lips and breathed in deeply. He rested his hands on her hips, before leaning forward once more, this time kissing her more deeply. She responded to the kiss almost immediately and wrapped her arms around his neck in an attempt to pull him closer.  
  
If Harry was a good kisser, he was nothing compared to Draco. Draco's kisses were sweet, fiery, extremely passionate and a whole lot of other things put together, while Harry's had been not much more than just passionate and sweet. The moment the kiss had begun, Hermione had felt every thought leave her mind, all her fear of being caught, everything. She was also completely oblivious of what was going on around them, just as Draco seemed to be as well. All she wanted was to be here, with Draco, but a tiny part of her brain knew this was wrong. Four days previous and she could've said that she hated him to death, but now, she couldn't. She definitely couldn't.  
  
Draco continued to kiss her, deeply, forcefully and passionately. She was a wonderful kisser and was kissing him back with same amount of intensity as he was kissing her. All he could smell was her, all he could see - even with his eyes closed - was her. He never wanted to stop or let her go, even though he knew this was wrong and that he should, but he couldn't. She, on the other hand, proved she could as she did the moment that thought had crossed his mind, by turning her face to one side so he was suddenly kissing her cheek.  
  
"Get off me, Draco," she said breathlessly. She sounded slightly scared, but Draco didn't understand why. He rolled off her and she got out from under the table, the Transforming Potions book in her hand. Draco followed suit. She looked him up and down, before turning and running towards the exit. Right now, she didn't care if Filch caught her.  
  
Draco watched her retreat, before looking down at his aching groin area and the excitement going on down there. He suddenly realised with a groan why she had sounded scared; because she was scared, scared that he would take it too far, when they had hated each other just less than a week before, even though they didn't now.  
  
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	7. Feelings

*Title: When Enemies Interact (7/17). *Author: Orla-Destiny. *Author's email: orla_d_22@yahoo.com.au *Disclaimer: J.K.Rowling owns everything to do with Harry Potter!! I own nothing!!! *Author notes: I think you've got the idea now that I know this story is OoC and that I'm sorry for that! Please review!!!  
~ Thanks to Cedric Diggory, Lilia and arlette for beta-reading!!! *P.S: This fic was written before the Order of the Phoenix was released, to all those who read it after that book.  
  
Chapter 7: Feelings.  
  
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Hermione didn't know why she had run away like that, not caring if someone caught her. When she had broken the kiss, she had become suddenly aware of what was happening to him . and herself. The way he kissed her made her just want to rip his clothes off and be the closest to him she could get, but the small part of her brain that had kept telling her how wrong it was had, smartly and thankfully, stopped her from doing such a thing. It didn't stop the feelings she had for him from appearing, though, and she knew that these feelings would be very hard to get rid of.  
  
It had all happened so quickly. A couple of days before, she hated him, now, she had strong feelings for him. The moment he had gotten on top of her under that table was the moment these feelings had appeared, or at least, she had become aware of them and now, she couldn't get the thought of him or the kiss out of her head.  
  
She was walking toward the portrait of the Fat Lady now and she was quite surprised at her luck of not being caught. She woke the Fat Lady up, gave the password and entered Gryffindor Tower. She went up to her dormitory and silently put on her nightgown in the dark. As she climbed into bed, she pushed all of her thoughts of Draco to the back of her head and told herself that she would worry about these feelings later.  
  
*  
  
Draco stood in the silent and almost empty library for what felt like hours, when, at the maximum, only thirty minutes had passed. He just stood there and, lost in thought. He thought about the kiss he had shared with Hermione, he thought about the feelings he now had for Hermione, he thought about what he was going to do or say to Hermione when he saw her next. Everything he thought about had something to do with Hermione and he couldn't help but want her back here, in the library, with him.  
  
But she wasn't there, because he'd gone and kissed her when it was wrong. She had ran away, upset and scared, because the contact of her lips on his aroused him unintentionally and she had become aware and shy of it. He couldn't do anything about it, for it was his body's natural response to her skin.  
  
When he'd first gotten under that table and on top of her soft body, his thoughts had trailed. That had been the exact moment when he truly realised what he really wanted and these feelings for Hermione had surfaced. He just looked down at her beautiful face and knew. He knew he wanted her as something more than an enemy. What? He didn't know. All he knew was that she was the one person he had true feelings for, and it was wrong.  
  
Draco sighed heavily and ran his fingers through his hair. He had kissed her and suddenly all he could think about was her and he couldn't deny that he was indeed falling for her. She, on the other hand, would most likely never want to have contact with him again.  
  
Draco sighed heavily again before heading towards his dormitory, thoughts still wondering. He had kissed her, completely lost control of himself, while she had been the sensible one, the smart one that had pulled away, so abruptly it seemed she had come to a very disturbing thought. And that had been like a bucket of cold water being dumped on his head, reminding him just how wrong it was to be kissing her due to their past of hatred towards one another.  
  
He reached his dormitory and climbed into bed, still in his clothes, but he didn't go to sleep, not that he didn't want to. He just couldn't push his thoughts and feelings to the back of his head and leave him the opportunity to sleep. So he lay there, glad that the next day was Sunday, with no classes, because it took a long while for sleep to finally take him over.  
  
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It was almost midday the next morning when Draco woke and the memories of the night before came flooding back and he wished that he hadn't woken up at all and that he could just sleep forever, with no thought of Hermione whatsoever in his head.  
  
He got out of bed, dressed and headed down to the common room, which was unsurprisingly empty as it was most likely a nice autumn day outside in the grounds. People had better things to do than sit around in the common room, when they could easily go out onto the grounds and have a little fun. But Draco had a feeling the common room was going to be where he was to be all day, as he didn't want to see Hermione and watch her run away from him again, which she would probably do.  
  
He felt his stomach growl with hunger and as he massaged it, he realised breakfast would've finished in the Great Hall by now and lunch was still about an hour or so away, so he decided to go and find the kitchens and get some food from there. He had never been in the kitchens before, but he had a fair idea where they were and how to get in there.  
  
About five minutes later, he had found his way down into the narrow passageway with the pictures of food and found the painting of the bowl of fruit Crabbe and Goyle had told him about and reached up to tickle the pear, just as he remembered them telling him. The pear squirmed and giggled, making Draco smile slightly as he turned the large green doorknob that had appeared. The smile vanished immediately, however, when he saw who else was in there, sitting at one of the four long tables opposite his old house-elf Dobby, drinking tea and evidently very close to tears. It was none other than the girl that had hunted his thoughts for most of the night: Hermione.  
  
". It all happened so quickly, Dobby," she was saying. "One minute we were near the shelves, looking in a book, the next, we were lying underneath the table, him on top of me, kissing." She let out a sob and wiped her eyes, which were brimming with tears. "I just don't understand it." They obviously hadn't noticed Draco standing in the doorway.  
  
"Don't be upset," Dobby said, "Dobby will not let Miss be upset." A tiny smile came to Hermione's lips at this.  
  
"My life is just hard at the moment," she said. "I caught Harry cheating on me the other night, and then Draco goes and kisses me, gets very turned on by it and scares me. Not that I wasn't turned on myself," she added. She sighed heavily. I don't know what to do, Dobby, Draco and I were the worst of enemies a week ago, but now . well, I'm not sure what we are now, but we're definitely not enemies. How could that have changed so suddenly?"  
  
"Dobby does not know, Miss," Dobby squeaked. He slowly turned his gaze to the doorway and saw Draco and let out a terrified squeak. "Dobby is sorry, Miss, but he must go now." He ran from the room as fast as his little legs could carry him. Hermione watched Dobby leave with a frown upon her face before turning to see what had frightened him and caused him to leave and saw Draco.  
  
She stared at him for a moment with wide eyes, not sure of what to do or say. She was rather shocked to see him standing there, but she wished he wasn't, as she had hoped that she wouldn't have to see him at all that day.  
  
Draco just stood there for a moment, looking at her with an impassive expression. "I think we should talk," he said finally, walking over to the table and taking Dobby's vacant chair. "First, I want you to understand that I had no intention to kiss you whatsoever when I first got under that table. It just sort of happened and I'm sorry about it. Second, I'm not sure if I meant anything by it and I'm not sure of my feelings for you either. I don't know how this could've happened so soon when we were enemies such a short time before hand. Third, I didn't mean to get as turned on as I did." He said all this rather calmly, as he looked her in the eye, but Hermione could distinguish some sort of plead in his voice to have her forgive him. She wasn't sure if she could do this so easily, though.  
  
Hermione took a deep breath, avoiding his eyes. "It scared me, Draco," she said quietly. "And it happened too quickly. I'm not even sure if I can call you a friend. All my memories of you are you being a sneering, snarling bastard who makes fun of me for being Muggle-born or insulting my friends, and then, suddenly, I'm talking to you instead of Harry and Ron and we're lying underneath a table together, kissing. It wasn't just some simple kiss, either, it was one of the best kisses I've ever experienced." She went a bit pink in the cheeks. "Tell me, Draco, how could an action like that come of two people who were sworn enemies some five days ago? Tell me, Draco, is it possible that we're now friends, but last night was a showing of different sorts of feelings for each other, because I'm honestly not sure myself?" She looked up at him finally with an expression of question and plead, looking on the verge of tears once more.  
  
Draco blinked. He hadn't expected her to turn around and say all that and it took him a long moment to answer. "I'm honestly not sure, either, Hermione. I don't know why it happened or whether we're friends and as I said before, I'm not sure of my feelings for you either. The kiss just . happened and I seemed to have no control to stop it from doing that." He sighed. "I know that I care about you and I think that we've been acting a bit friendly towards each other, but I think that's mainly because we've been working together a lot and with me as Head Boy now, so I really don't know if we are friends or not."  
  
"I guess you're right," Hermione said. "The thing that seemed to start this was you getting Head Boy and then there was Harry . You seemed to be the only person who was even close to being comforting towards me about the whole issue. Almost everyone took Harry's side, even when it was him that was in the wrong. The news about our break up definitely traveled far in this very short time, I mean, I dumped him just yesterday morning and most of the school already knows."  
  
Draco was about to say something, but was interrupted by a tiny house-elf approaching them. "Would you like something to eat or drink, sir?" the elf asked politely.  
  
"Yes, I'll just have a sandwich and a drink, thanks," Draco replied. The tiny elf bowed and hurried off back into the kitchen. Draco turned back to Hermione, but she didn't seem to want to hear what he was going to say and stood up.  
  
Even though they had had this small talk, she still felt a bit uneasy to be around Draco and felt she needed some time to get her thoughts about the whole issue straight and she wanted to get away from him for a little while to do that.  
  
"I have to go, Draco," she said, heading to the exit. "I just need some time alone to think." She left, leaving Draco frowning slightly at the closed portrait door.  
  
Over the next few days, Draco seemed to get the idea she didn't want to have anything to do with him. He noticed her dodging him in the corridors and she hardly even talked to him in classes. Even in the library, when they worked on their Polyjuice Potion project, she never said a single word in the way of conversation. He found it very awkward and he realised, that even though they had talked in the kitchens, she was still extremely uncomfortable around him. He couldn't help but wonder whether she would always feel this way, just because of a little kiss and the appearance of these feelings that they had for each other.  
  
Not that you could call that kiss little .  
  
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	8. Quidditch

*Title: When Enemies Interact (8/17). *Author: Orla-Destiny. *Author's email: orla_d_22@yahoo.com.au *Disclaimer: I own nothing!!! *Author notes: Hope you enjoy and please review!!!  
~ Thanks to Ced, Lilia and arlette for beta-reading!!! *P.S: This fic was written before the Order of the Phoenix was released, to all those who read it after that book.  
  
Chapter 8: Quidditch.  
  
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A couple of weeks had gone by. They had moved into November and the weather had turned grey and miserable. Draco and Hermione had finished their poster, and the Polyjuice Potion was very close to being finished. The Quidditch season had just started and the first match of the season, Slytherin vs. Gryffindor, would be held the upcoming Saturday, but Hermione was having quite a lot of trouble in deciding whether to go or not.  
  
Harry would of course be there, flying around, trying to find the Golden Snitch, with Draco right behind him and it was because of this that Hermione didn't want to go. Sure, she knew she should do the right thing and go and support her house team, Gryffindor, but she didn't want to support Harry. It was all too hard, as she knew that if she tried to support Gryffindor, she'd probably end up cheering Draco on more.  
  
Yes, Draco. In all her attempts to dodge him in the corridors and not talk to him while in the library or during class, her feelings for him hadn't ceased a bit, in fact they had, somehow, increased and grown stronger and she longed to have his lips on hers again.  
  
Little did she know that Draco was indeed feeling the same way about her. He longed for her day in and day out, his feelings for her growing stronger with every second of seeing and thinking of her, but he knew that he shouldn't try anything. She still seemed to be very uncomfortable around him.  
  
"Are you coming to the match on Saturday?" Draco asked Hermione, while sitting in the library with her on the Wednesday, as they copied down something from a book for Professor McGonagall.  
  
She sniffed, not looking up. She knew he was just trying to make conversation. "Depends how I feel on Saturday," she said and she didn't say anything more.  
  
"Don't you want to come and support me?" Draco smirked sarcastically. Hermione looked up at him at this.  
  
"If I went to support anyone, Draco, it would be the Gryffindor team, not you, a Slytherin," she said, before continuing to jot down the information for McGonagall.  
  
"You'd rather support Potter than me?" Draco said in fake disbelief.  
  
"I won't be supporting Harry, but I will be supporting the rest of the Gryffindor team," Hermione replied as if he should've known.  
  
"If I get the Snitch, will you at least clap or cheer?" Draco said. Hermione looked at him again.  
  
"What do you want, Draco? Do you want me to just forgive you and everything between us will be cheery again? Is that what you want? Because I honestly don't think I can forgive you that easily," Hermione said roughly, shaking her head. She paused a moment before continuing. "I understand that it wasn't your fault that you got as turned on as you did - It was just your body's own reaction, but it still scared me. That kiss has caused a lot of stress for me, Draco. Every single moment I've spent with you since, I've been worrying about you kissing me again. But the main problem is . in my inner consciousness . I want you to." She looked back down and continued to write. Draco stared at her in disbelief.  
  
"You actually want me to."  
  
"In a way, yes," Hermione replied. "It's too wrong though and that's exactly why I've been acting the way I have lately." She went silent and turned back to the book.  
  
Draco didn't know what to say about this. He was quite surprised that Hermione had admitted that to him, as he hadn't thought she was the type to do that sort of thing.  
  
At least he had a small idea of how she felt about him, even though he knew she didn't want to feel that way.  
  
* - ~ * ~ - *  
  
As Draco put on his Quidditch robes, he couldn't help but want, more than anything, to beat Harry and get him back for hurting Hermione. His hatred for him had, if possible, gone up a notch after seeing him in that corridor, cheating on Hermione with Ginny.  
  
He hardly listened to the captain's pre-match pep talk and by the time he got onto the pitch, with the cheers of hundreds above him, the pictures of Hermione and him beating Harry to the Snitch were firmly plastered into his mind.  
  
He mounted his broom and cast a dark look in Harry's direction, which, Harry returned with equal vengeance. Madam Hooch blew her whistle and the game began. Draco flew high above the game, looking around for a sign of the Snitch, while keeping close to Harry. He watched as Harry waved at Ginny in the stands and saw, with a jolt of his stomach, that Hermione was sitting alone a few rows behind her, in the back.  
  
She had been watching him, but the moment he had noticed her, she had turned her gaze to the Slytherin goal posts, where Ron (he had become Keeper for the Gryffindor team back in their fifth year) made a spectacular save and threw the Quaffle to one of the Gryffindor Chasers.  
  
Draco watched Hermione for a moment, before he saw Harry dive down out of the corner of his eye. He turned around and sped after him, hoping Harry hadn't really seen the Snitch, even though Draco could see it himself. A moment later a Bludger came pelting towards them and they both had to swerve off course to avoid it. A moment later the Snitch had disappeared once more. Harry turned to face Draco.  
  
"You like her, don't you, Malfoy?" he said, glaring at him furiously. Draco didn't quite know what Harry was talking about, but glared back. "Do you like Hermione?"  
  
"Hermione? Er, no. Why would I?"  
  
"Because she's Hermione, anyone can like her. Even you," Harry said bluntly. "She's a very likeable person."  
  
"Jealous Potter?" Draco sneered.  
  
"Why would I be jealous, Malfoy?" Harry questioned irritably.  
  
"Because you chose the wrong girl," Draco replied. "You chose the Weasley girl over Hermione. You broke Hermione's heart and she won't forgive you for it. You regret it, don't you Potter?"  
  
Harry just glared at him furiously and opened his mouth to speak several times, but didn't seem to be able to find a sensible retort to throw back at him and closed it again. Draco smirked at him in satisfactory, before turning back around and looking up at Hermione in the stands.  
  
"You'll never get her back, Potter, she's -" He stopped suddenly, as he watched, as if in slow motion, a Bludger speed straight towards the stands, straight towards Hermione, who was watching himself and Harry, obviously wondering what they were talking about. The Bludger was a couple of metres away from hitting her when she finally became aware of it and ducked down just in time. In fact, it was hard to tell whether it had hit her or not. As she stood up straight, white-faced in shock and fright, it showed the Bludger had missed her, though only just, and smashed into the wall behind her.  
  
Draco flew over. "Are you alright?" he asked her, hovering some five feet above her. She nodded and sat down.  
  
"Just get back to the game, Draco," she said, not looking at him. "I'm fine."  
  
Draco did as she said and went back to the game, where Madam Hooch had awarded the Gryffindor team a penalty and given one of the Slytherin Beaters a fair warning to not let Bludgers stray towards the stands again.  
  
The match continued for quite a while after that and Draco was beginning to wonder when it would end. He had only spotted the Snitch one other time, but it had disappeared again almost immediately afterwards.  
  
He continued to fly over the game, close behind Harry, looking over at Hermione every now and then to see if she was still alright, though he had no doubt that she would be. She looked perfectly fine and content, watching the game pleasantly and seemed to have overcome her shock from the Bludger.  
  
It was when it started to rain that Draco desperately wanted to find the Snitch. He saw, with amusement, that Harry was having quite a bit of trouble seeing as the rain steadily became heavier and was producing blurry vision through his glasses. Draco knew that it was always Hermione that used that little charm of hers to repel water from his glasses, but she wouldn't now and Harry evidently didn't know the charm himself.  
  
It was then he saw it. Shimmering faintly fifty feet below, very close to the ground, in the middle of the pitch was the Golden Snitch.  
  
Draco dived. He had seen it before Harry, but soon Harry noticed it as well and went speeding after him with alarming velocity. Draco was still in front, however, gaining speed quickly, and soon, he was only metres from it . feet from it . an arms length away from it, Harry now level with him. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a Bludger pelted towards them and hit Draco in the side of the head. The pain was excruciating and he was blinded by it, but Draco urged himself to get that Snitch. He stretched out his arm and made one final effort and was rewarded when he felt his fingers wrap around the tiny ball, it's wings flapping helplessly in his hand. He fell with a thump, glad that the Snitch had been so close to the ground. He distantly felt someone lying beside him, but he didn't take much notice as he only had time to hear the words: "Slytherin wins, one hundred and ninety points to one hundred and ten!" before he passed out.  
  
"Is he alright?" asked an anxious Hermione, who had come down to the Quidditch pitch, just like the rest of the curious Hogwarts students, to see both wounded Seekers. She gasped loudly when she saw Draco lying unconscious on the ground with a nasty cut to the head, caused by the Bludger that had hit him. Harry lay next to him clutching a broken arm, courtesy of the same Bludger that had hit Draco.  
  
"I'm fine, Hermione," Harry said, holding his arm and clutching it in pain.  
  
"I wasn't talking about you," Hermione exclaimed hotly.  
  
"Out of the way." Professor McGonagall was pushing through the crowd of people. She caught sight of Draco. "Oh dear. Miss Granger, please take Mr. Malfoy to the hospital wing. Potter, go with them and get that arm mended. Now."  
  
Professor McGonagall helped Hermione levitate Draco onto a conjured stretcher and Hermione slowly led him up to the castle with her wand. Harry trailed behind with his arm in a sling.  
  
"The Bludger hit me first," he mumbled.  
  
"I know," Hermione said, her voice slightly cold. "I was watching. Draco got the worst of it. He'll be lucky if he hasn't got brain damage for life." She said this as if it was Harry's fault.  
  
"Draco?" Harry repeated. "Please don't tell me Ron was telling me the truth about you falling head-over-heels in love with Malfoy? I mean I was suspicious when he called you by your first name during the game, but you -"  
  
"Just because I call Draco by his first name, doesn't mean I'm falling head- over-heels in love with him!" Hermione snapped irritably. "Anyway, what does Ron know. He's being childish. Just like you are."  
  
"Oh and why, may I ask Hermione, are Ron and I being childish?" Harry asked exasperatedly.  
  
"Well," Hermione said. "He only got upset in the first place because I called Draco by his first name. That was before I really even started doing it. Then you, someone I thought had some brains and wouldn't do something this childish, are going along the same stupid lines as him. Accusing me of falling in love with someone I hated."  
  
"Hated?" Harry repeated. "So you don't hate him anymore? Might I ask, Hermione, exactly what did he do to win your friendship so quickly?"  
  
"He's stuck by my side while everyone else has taken yours. Even when you were the one that was in the wrong - not me." She looked at him coldly. "He's not that bad, you know." Harry just scowled.  
  
They had reached the corridor with the infirmary now and went silent. They opened the door and entered the hospital wing. Hermione floated Draco over onto one of the beds and lay him on it; Harry took a seat on another and left Hermione to knock on Madam Pomfrey's office door. The office door opened and the matron appeared.  
  
"It's Draco, Madam. He was hit in the head by a Bludger and has been knocked out," Hermione said. "I think Harry's broken his arm as well."  
  
"I'll be with you in a moment, Potter," Madam Pomfrey said, bustling over to Draco and taking a look at the damage the Bludger had made. "Oh dear," she sighed, "That'll take a lot of mending." She grabbed his wrist and checked his pulse. "We'll let him wake naturally, I think. We don't want him feeling too much pain before I mend it." She walked over to Harry.  
  
"Hold out the broken arm, Potter," she said, taking out her wand. Harry stuck out the injured arm and she tapped it twice with the wand and muttered a few strange words. "I think you should stay in here for a few hours, Potter; until tea."  
  
"But I'm fine," Harry argued. Madam Pomfrey was always fussy about these things.  
  
"I think I'll be the expert of that, Potter," Madam Pomfrey snapped. "But if I'm satisfied, I'll let you out a little earlier."  
  
About an hour later, Harry had left the infirmary and Madam Pomfrey had finished mending all Draco's injuries, which there was a surprisingly large amount of. He had bruises in some places that Hermione knew were not from Quidditch and she couldn't help but wonder where he had gotten them. She had a fair idea of the answer to that, however.  
  
By the look of them, they were from rough belting and it only took one moment to guess who had given them. She didn't understand how, though, as they looked so recent and new. His father, Lucius Malfoy, couldn't possibly be coming up to the school to give these beatings, could he?  
  
Hermione sighed and shuddered at the thought, finally deciding that it wouldn't be much of a surprise if he was.  
  
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	9. Their Own Little Place

*Title: When Enemies Interact (9/17). *Author: Orla-Destiny. *Author's email: orla_d_22@yahoo.com.au *Disclaimer: I unfortunately (and I feel you should've gotten the point by now) DO NOT own anything related to the Harry Potter series!!! *Author notes: Hope you enjoyed this chapter as well!!! Again, it's OoC and I'm sorry for that!!! Please review!!!  
~ Big thanks to Ced, Lilia and arlette for beta-ing!!! *P.S: This fic was written before the Order of the Phoenix was released, to all those who read it after that book.  
  
Chapter 9: Their Own Little Place.  
  
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Draco woke up the next morning with his head pounding and his vision blurry. He groaned loudly and closed his eyes again, wanting to go back to sleep. He faintly heard Hermione's voice calling to Madam Pomfrey that he was waking up and realised he was in the hospital wing. He couldn't remember how he'd gotten there or why he was there in the first place, however.  
  
"Come on, Mr. Malfoy, don't go back to sleep yet," came Madam Pomfrey's voice from above him. Draco groaned again. "Mr. Malfoy, I have to give you this pain-relieving potion." Draco slowly opened his eyes again and saw an unclear figure of Madam Pomfrey leaning over him.  
  
"My head hurts," he said dumbly.  
  
"Of course it does," Madam Pomfrey said distractedly, placing a hand of his forehead to take his temperature. "You were hit in the head with a Bludger."  
  
"I was?"  
  
"Yes and you've got a concussion to say the least. You might have had some memory loss, too," Madam Pomfrey replied. "Never mind that now, though, Miss Granger will fill you in on what happened in a moment. Right now, we have to get this potion into you."  
  
Madam Pomfrey helped Draco into a sitting position, while Hermione placed several extra pillows behind him for support. She then handed him a goblet with a bright purple potion in it. "Drink it all, Mr. Malfoy, I guarantee it will help."  
  
Draco slowly raised the goblet to his lips and drank it. The slimy substance tasted terrible and Draco shuddered as it moved down his throat, but he drank every last drop of it before handing the empty goblet back to Madam Pomfrey.  
  
"Can't you make that stuff taste better?" he asked with a look of disgust.  
  
"No, Mr. Malfoy, I can't, you'll just have to stick with it the way it is," the matron replied in annoyance. "It should take action very soon." Draco groaned loudly again. "Oh, stop the whining, Mr. Malfoy, you're lucky that Bludger didn't kill you!" Draco just scowled at her and she walked away, muttering to herself about bad attitudes and manners.  
  
Hermione sat and looked at Draco's pale face, which was expressing that he was in quite a lot of pain. She bit her lower lip and sighed inwardly. She suddenly felt as if it had been her that had caused this pain, for some odd reason, and wanted to be the one to make him feel better.  
  
"How are you feeling?" she asked softly. Draco turned his head to the side looked at her.  
  
"Are you talking to me again?" he asked her coldly. Hermione looked down at her hands and nodded quietly. "Well then, how do you think?" Draco continued with a sneer. "I've been hit in the head with a Bludger, I've got a concussion, I have to take awful tasting potion and knowing Madam Pomfrey, I'll be in here a week, if not longer. In other words, I'm feeling absolutely wonderful." His voice had been full of bitter sarcasm as he stated this.  
  
"There's no need to get snappy with me, Draco," Hermione said irritably. "I'm sorry about the way I've been acting. I've been acting childish and I shouldn't have reacted that way. It was just so -"  
  
"Wrong," Draco finished for her with a small amount of spite in his tone. "I honestly don't see why you keep reminding me of that, Hermione. In fact, I'm beginning to think that you're trying to convince yourself to believe that."  
  
"I already do believe it, Draco," Hermione said. "I know it was just a kiss, but it happened too soon. You know it did."  
  
"Whatever," Draco said without a hint of friendliness.  
  
Hermione looked down at her hands once more, feeling suddenly close to the verge of tears. "I really want you to forgive me for being such an idiot, Draco. That's exactly what I've been and I'm really sorry."  
  
Draco continued to look at her with a vacant expression. He recognised a hint of guiltiness in the way Hermione was acting. It was strange how such a thing caused him to just want to kiss her again - a feeling Draco was getting quite familiar with.  
  
"So," Draco said, wanting to change the subject and clear his mind of the thoughts of kissing Hermione again. "What happened in the game? Gryffindor won most likely."  
  
"Actually, Slytherin did. You caught the Snitch just moments after the Bludger hit you. You won a hundred and ninety points to a hundred and ten," Hermione replied. "Harry's not very happy about it. Both him and Ron are now even more upset with me, because I seemed to care more about you being unconscious than Harry's broken arm."  
  
"Potter broke his arm?" Draco asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Yes, the Bludger hit Harry in the arm right before it hit you," Hermione replied rather carelessly. "I'm not saying I don't care, I mean, I can't just stop caring like that. I rather feel he deserved it." Draco raised his eyebrow again. "I'll never forgive them, or apologise for that matter, unless I become suddenly desperate. Sure, I slightly miss having them as friends, but they've been pure bastards and deserve to rot in hell!"  
  
Draco was very surprised by this. He had never thought Hermione as someone to wish the two people she had once called her best friends to "rot in hell!" He was rather impressed by this attitude, nevertheless.  
  
"Their attitudes about everything to do with me lately has really hurt me and it's made me feel quite miserable. They don't understand; they're just being childish gits," Hermione continued in a tone full of hateful spite. She took a deep steady breath in an attempt to calm herself and her voice relaxed as she continued. "You're the only person who will really even have me as a friend at the moment, Draco, whether you can call me that or not."  
  
Draco continued to be silent, still shocked and surprised about her attitude about Harry and Ron's behaviour.  
  
He had listened to every single one of her words, but with every sentence, he continued to just want to grab her and kiss her. He inwardly cursed his rapid-growing feelings for her and searched his head for something relevant and sensible to say. What he said wasn't as sensible as he would've liked, though.  
  
"Friends usually don't go and kiss each other like we did, Hermione," he said. He mentally cursed himself again. He had to bring up the kiss, didn't he? He felt a faint tingling sensation around his groin area and immediately forced himself to think of something different; hoping nothing would become noticeable.  
  
Hermione gave a small smile. "Harry and I did," she stated grimly. Draco nodded absently, causing Hermione to frown slightly. "Is everything alright, Draco?"  
  
Draco turned his head back to look at her abruptly. "I'm fine. I think the potion's finally kicking in," he said quickly. "Everything seems to becoming a bit . clearer." He moved uncomfortably, wincing slightly in pain. "Why don't you go back to your common room, or something?" Hermione continued to frown, confused by his sudden strange behaviour. "I'm not trying to get rid of you or anything, it's just you must have something better to do than sit around and watch someone groan and complain about a terribly sore head."  
  
Hermione continued to frown deeply, now slightly amused. "I want to stay," she said quietly. "Besides, Madam Pomfrey will probably come in soon and make me leave because you need sleep."  
  
As if on cue, the door of Madam Pomfrey's office opened and she exited. "Come on, Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy needs sleep and lots of it."  
  
"I told you," Hermione whispered to Draco as she stood. "I'll come and see you later, Draco." With that, she then exited through the infirmary door and heading towards Gryffindor Tower.  
  
* - ~ * ~ - *  
  
It took a whole week for Madam Pomfrey to finally become satisfied with Draco's condition and let him leave. He got quite a surprise, however, when he exited the infirmary and found Professor Dumbledore standing outside with an anxious looking Hermione by his side.  
  
Dumbledore smiled warmly at Draco when he saw him. "Feeling better, Mr. Malfoy?" he asked kindly.  
  
Draco nodded. "Yes sir, I am."  
  
"If you would please follow me," Dumbledore said, his blue eyes twinkling and a smile still on his face. "Both of you." They started following him, both curious as to where he was going to lead them and why he wanted them to follow him.  
  
"For the past month or so, the other teachers and I have been working hard on some student quarters, as one might call them, for you, the Head Boy and Girl to share," Dumbledore began to inform them. His eyes gazing mostly in Draco's direction in a meaningful way as he said this. "In these quarters, you will have your own common room, study, bathroom and your own, separate bedrooms." Draco exchanged interested looks with Hermione. "It is of course your choice if you want to move into there or stay with your houses."  
  
Both Draco and Hermione didn't know what to say; they just kept following Dumbledore until they stopped in front of a portrait of a woman in a red ball gown, who was dancing elegantly with a dark, handsome man wearing black velvet dress robes.  
  
"This is Daniella," Dumbledore informed them, indicating the woman, "and that is Iain." He indicated the man.  
  
The woman, Daniella, broke away from the man, Iain and turned to them. "Password?" she asked in a rich English accent.  
  
"Petrificus," Dumbledore said with a smile. Daniella nodded and the portrait swung forward to reveal a set of burgundy-carpeted stairs. They entered and headed up them, the portrait closing behind them by itself.  
  
When they reached the top of the stairs, the room that met them caused Hermione to gasp loudly and Draco to gape. It was absolutely magnificent.  
  
Everything was made up with black or burgundy-coloured velvet. The polished furniture made the room look elegant. The marble fireplace was placed in the middle of the wall opposite them, with a warm fire blazing merrily in it, and there was a door on either side of it. A couch sat straight in front of the fire and on either side of the couch was an armchair, all of which were facing the fire. On the walls to their left and right, were two more doors. Oil lamps ran along the walls in a decorative way and it seemed that everything in the room was in complete symmetry.  
  
"So, do you wish to live here?" Dumbledore asked. Both of them nodded, not taking their eyes off the room. "I'll leave you here to explore then; I shall have Hagrid move your belongings up here." He turned, a small smile still playing on his lips and proceeded out of the room.  
  
"Can you believe this?" Hermione asked breathlessly. "We're going to live together."  
  
Draco had made his way over to one of the doors by the fireplace and opened it. The sight of the room behind it caused Hermione to gasp again. She made her way over.  
  
It was a bedroom, with a four-poster bed, almost twice the size of the ones in their dormitories. There was a mahogany wardrobe in one corner and a small desk in another. Other pieces of furniture in the room included a bedside table and a dresser with a mirror. Everything in the room seemed to be black in colour.  
  
With a look in the room beside it, they found it was another bedroom, exactly the same to the other, except for the fact that everything was burgundy instead of black.  
  
The room behind the door to the right of the original entrance was proved to be a large bathroom. It was very much like the Prefect bathroom, only it was bigger, better and all theirs. It had a large, rectangular, swimming pool-sized bath in the middle and to the right were two more rooms, which were found to be smaller bathrooms, each with a shower, toilet and basin.  
  
The room behind the door opposite the bathroom could be nothing but a large study. The walls were lined with virtually empty bookshelves and there was a large polished table in the middle of the room with a chair at each end.  
  
Hermione smiled to herself and headed back out into the common room, with Draco following. She was curious about something, however.  
  
"I wonder what made Dumbledore do this," she said thoughtfully.  
  
"I think I know," Draco said, sitting down on the couch. Hermione looked at him to see him just staring into the fire with a passive expression. "My father's been coming up to the school to - to punish me. He's become school governor again, like he was in second year, so it's quite easy for him to do so. I decided to take a bit of a leaf out of your book and went to Dumbledore and told him about it. He assured me he would do anything in his power to stop this from happening. I'd say this is his way of doing that without my father finding out about it."  
  
Although she had already suspected that his father had been the one punishing him while he was at school, Hermione was rather shocked now Draco had confirmed her suspicion. Shock wasn't all she felt about the situation either, she also felt fear. Fear that perhaps Lucius would find him and bash him while they were in these "quarters". She didn't know how she would react if such a thing happened.  
  
"I saw the bruises while you were in the hospital wing and I had a feeling it was your father that caused them," Hermione said quietly, a slight emotion showing in her voice. "Your father really is evil."  
  
"I'm his son. I'll most likely end up like that," Draco muttered, his voice full of spite.  
  
"You won't if you don't let yourself," Hermione reminded him.  
  
They both went silent after that. Even after what Draco had told her, Hermione couldn't help but feel a little bit happy about this arrangement of living with Draco. She wondered what Harry, Ron and the other Gryffindors would do or say if they found out she was living with Draco Malfoy, but she couldn't care less at that moment.  
  
This was their own little place.  
  
*  
  
Hermione sat in the study that night, working on the Study of Ancient Runes assignment. Dean and Seamus had given it to Hagrid to give to her, as they had done a fair amount of the translation and thought it wise to give it back to Hermione to look over and finish, which she was very close to doing.  
  
Draco had left her alone to take a bath, as he had been working hard on the essay they had been given to do on the Polyjuice Potion. It was due in their next Potions lesson, when they would be testing the Potion.  
  
The Potion had taken a bit longer than it should've. Snape had been an idiot and given one of the students the duty of picking the fluxweed. Rather unsurprisingly, the student had picked it on the wrong day (it was supposed to be picked on the full moon), causing it to take longer.  
  
Neither Draco nor Hermione were really looking forward to testing it, as it meant Draco would take Hermione's form and vise-versa. Neither one of them liked the idea of taking the form of someone of the opposite sex, but they knew they had to and do so sensibly.  
  
It was strange how everything seemed to have become "civil" between them again. They hadn't really brought up anything along the lines of the subject of her dodging him etc. In fact the only time they had had been that time in the hospital wing. Their feelings for each other hadn't subsided a bit, though, but they seemed to be slowly, very slowly, becoming more obvious to the other, even when they didn't want them to.  
  
The only real problem they were facing at the moment was the idea of testing the Polyjuice Potion...  
  
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	10. The Polyjuice Potion

*Title: When Enemies Interact (10/17). *Author: Orla-Destiny. *Author's email: orla_d_22@yahoo.com.au *Disclaimer: *sigh* I'm over this. But, anyway. I OWN NOTHING!!! *Author notes: Here you have chapter 10!!! I hope you like it and please review!!!  
~ Thanks to Ced, Lilia and arlette for beta-reading!!! *P.S: This fic was written before the Order of the Phoenix was released, to all those who read it after that book.  
  
Chapter 10: The Polyjuice Potion.  
  
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~ * ~ - * - ~ * ~ - *  
  
Hermione sighed deeply as she exited the Great Hall alone and began to head down to the dungeons for the usual Wednesday double Potions.  
  
She and Draco would be testing their Polyjuice Potion today and she was feeling quite uneasy about the idea. She wasn't very sure if she could trust Draco, as she hadn't seen him in a situation like this or know how he would react, nor was she sure how she, herself would react after they had taken the Potion.  
  
Taking the physical form of someone you liked as much as she liked Draco, was quite a big, let alone an awkward experience to go through. Yet, here she was, about to face it, not knowing what would happen during the process. She highly doubted that she would have a desire to take a peek down Draco's pants, like he had suggested when they were first given this assignment, but she didn't know what Draco would or wouldn't do.  
  
She vaguely knew what teenage boys like him were like, with their hormones raging and she had noticed Draco staring at particular parts of her body, where his stare made her feel extremely uncomfortable. She greatly hoped he wouldn't attempt to touch, feel or look at any of those personal, private parts.  
  
Silently, Hermione entered the virtually empty Potions dungeon and took a seat at her and Draco's usual table, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable; more so than she had before. She was wearing a pair of black, baggy pants she hadn't worn in ages, as Draco had literally begged her not to wear girly clothes, but these pants had always made her feel uncomfortable, as she was now. The uneasy thought of taking the form of a male had that effect on her, as well.  
  
Slowly, the rest of the class filed in, all taking their seats and waiting anxiously for Snape to arrive. Some looked very much like Hermione felt, while others looked excited. Draco, however entered the dungeon looking neither uneasy or excited, but irritated and angry.  
  
"I hate them all!" he burst out angrily, as he hastily took the seat beside Hermione. "All of them."  
  
"Draco, who exactly does 'all of them' include?" Hermione asked, slightly alarmed.  
  
"Crabbe and Goyle and the rest of the bloody Slytherins!" he snarled in reply. "They've all been asking me, all morning, why I've been hanging around with you more than them lately. Like that's any of their business. And just because I call you by your first name, doesn't mean I'm sleeping with you, like they seem to think. Their minds are totally mucked up!" His teeth were gritted and he had an expression of pure anger and annoyance on his face as he leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed.  
  
"I definitely agree with you there, Draco, but you really should be careful. You don't want your father finding out you're spending most of your time with a Muggle-born - or should I say - a Mudblood." Hermione moved uncomfortably as the word "Mudblood" rolled off her tongue and Draco could sense a hint of pain in her voice as it did so. Draco felt a sudden feeling of guilt as her upset eyes bored into his own as she continued, her voice becoming quieter. "We don't want him finding out about the quarters we're sharing, although I have feeling at least someone will tell him, but we don't want to have him coming up to - to." She couldn't find the courage to say it.  
  
"Punish me," Draco finished for her with a slight shudder at the thought.  
  
Hermione nodded, looking suddenly serious. "Promise me you'll be careful Draco."  
  
Draco didn't get a chance to reply, as at that moment the door opened with a slam and Snape entered swiftly and made his way to the front of the room.  
  
"Today class, as you should know," he said in his usual deadly cold tone, "we will be testing your Potions. Each of you will take a glass and dish out you Potion so your glass is half full. Take a strand of your partner's hair and add it to the Potion before you drink it. If all goes correctly, you will take the form of your partner for exactly an hour. At the end of the hour, you will turn back to your original form. I do not want anyone leaving the room until they are back to normal. Any questions?" No one moved.  
  
Snape turned his gaze to Neville, who whimpered. "Might I add," he said. "That if all does not go correctly, you could blow up -" Neville gave a load, terrified squeak. "- or in some circumstances, if the hair added to your Potion is not human, you will take the form of something like a half human, half the species the hair belonged to. I might warn you, that if such a thing does occur, the transformation will last much longer." Neville whimpered again, looking absolutely terrified.  
  
The class set to work, dishing the Potion into the glasses and adding their partner's hair. Hermione had been the one to dish out her and Draco's, before carefully pulling out a strand of her hair and dropping it into Draco's glass and handing it to him.  
  
The potion hissed and turned the pretty colour of royal blue. Draco looked down at it for a moment, before pulling out a couple of strands of his own hair. Hermione held out her glass as he added them to it. Her potion hissed as well, but it turned emerald green instead of blue.  
  
Hermione looked around and noticed most of the others drinking their potion. "Well," she said, "Here goes." Both of them raised their glasses, but Hermione stopped when it was halfway to her mouth and looked at the potion nervously, causing Draco to stop as well and look at her, confused.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I, er, have had a bad experience with Polyjuice Potion," she admitted quietly. Draco looked torn between interest and amusement. "I shouldn't tell you this, but in second year, Harry, Ron and I made this potion in secret and when I drank it, I found the hair I added hadn't been - well - it hadn't been human. You heard what Snape said; the Polyjuice Potion is only for human transformations. I turned into something like a - a she- cat." Draco snorted in amusement as he imagined Hermione with pointy ears, a tail and fur. "It's not funny," Hermione snapped indignantly. "It's humiliating."  
  
"I can imagine," Draco said, forcing himself not to laugh. Hermione glared at him. "Look," he sighed, "I assure you that I am one hundred percent human and that was definitely my hair I added. I promise you that it was my hair. I felt myself pull it out."  
  
Hermione looked back down at the potion in her hand and, after a moment, nodded. "Ok."  
  
They raised their glasses once more, this time making it all the way to their mouths and drank the dreadful-tasting contents.  
  
Almost at the same time, they doubled over and fell to their knees, spluttering. They both felt as though they were going to be sick, but the feeling past extremely quickly and they felt a burning sensation spread through their whole bodies. Their skin began to bubble like hot wax from a burning candle and they felt, and saw their features changing. Draco's become much more feminine, while Hermione's masculine.  
  
Suddenly, almost as quickly as everything had started, everything stopped. Draco (in the form of Hermione) was on all fours, breathing heavily. While Hermione (in the form of Draco) was lying flat on her stomach, feeling the coldness of the stone seep through her clothes. Slowly, she rose into a kneeling position and turned to look at Draco.  
  
It was like looking into a mirror for both of them. They stared back at each other, shock written all over their faces. Neither spoke or moved, they just continued to stare at each other.  
  
Finally, Hermione cleared her throat. "This feels really . weird," she said, feeling even stranger as she heard Draco's voice exit her mouth instead of hers.  
  
Draco was studying his new features (Hermione's) rather closely and Hermione prayed that he wouldn't go looking under the clothes. "I must agree with you on that one, Hermione," he said absently. He was staring down at Hermione's breasts (now on him) and Hermione was getting close to wanting the slap him. "Don't these things get annoying?" he smirked, indicating them.  
  
"Draco!" Hermione said, rather outraged. "They don't, no . when you're used to them."  
  
"Sorry," Draco said in a sarcastic tone. Hermione fidgeted a little as she sat back on her seat. "Uncomfortable?" he smirked.  
  
"A bit," Hermione said irritably. "I'm just not used to having - having male body parts. Mind you, I hate wearing these pants; they make me so uncomfortable."  
  
"Bulge in your way?" Draco smirked in amusement.  
  
"I'm glad you're finding this experience amusing, Draco," Hermione spat, with a look mixed with annoyance and slight anger. "I for one, however, am not and don't you dare go looking or touching any of my private parts!"  
  
"No need to get all quick-tempered with me, Hermione." Hermione just scowled in his direction. "I'm not going to look or touch anything, but I am male after all."  
  
"You don't look very male to me at the moment."  
  
"I wonder why." Draco rolled his eyes.  
  
The rest of the lesson passed almost uneventfully. In fact the only thing you could count as eventful was Neville and Crabbe having to dash to the hospital wing, looking terrifyingly monstrous as they had mixed their Potion incorrectly. Most of the students physical appearances had changed back into their own by the end of the lesson, while others were ordered by Snape not to leave the dungeon until they had.  
  
Draco and Hermione were two of the few who had to stay back after the bell had rung to signal end of class, but they didn't have to wait long. Hermione was utterly relieved when she was back in her own form, but she felt rather guilty about her reaction at first. Exiting the dungeon behind Draco, she looked around to see the hallway around them empty.  
  
"Draco," she said. Draco turned around to face her, an odd expression on his face. "I'm sorry about how I reacted. I should've handled it better. I guess I was just shocked as I'm not used to being in situations like that."  
  
"I don't see how there was a need to apologise, Hermione," Draco said. "Now if you don't mind, I'd like to go to lunch - I'm starving."  
  
He turned on his heel and continued out of the dungeon hallway, leaving Hermione staring, with a slight frown, at his retreating back. The way he had responded had been quite odd to Hermione. She sighed mentally and followed him, wondering what she would be eating for lunch.  
  
* - ~ * ~ - *  
  
Hermione yawned as she ascended the staircase toward Draco and her quarters. The day was finally over and Hermione was quiet glad about it. She reached the portrait of Daniella (Iain wasn't there currently) and smiled.  
  
"Hello Daniella," she said softly. Daniella smiled back at her.  
  
"Quite a nice boyfriend you have, my dear," she said. "I've just been chatting with him and I must add that he is terribly gorgeous. I can see love in both your eyes at the mere name of the other."  
  
"If you're talking about Draco, he's not my boyfriend and we are certainly not in love, Daniella," Hermione said as politely as she could. "There's nothing of the sort between us."  
  
"My dear Hermione, follow your heart and you shall get what you want. You may say there is no love between you two now, but I dare say there will be in the near future. I always have been talented when it comes to Divination."  
  
Hermione just frowned at the young woman in the painting. "I've never really been one to believe in Divination, sorry Daniella," she said after a moment. "Petrificus." The portrait swung open and Hermione entered and headed up the stairs to find Draco sitting on the couch.  
  
"Did Daniella say anything to you along the lines of us being in love?" she asked him as she sat down in one of the armchairs.  
  
"In a way, yes," Draco replied, "but it was no different from what everyone else is saying. They all seem to think that we're deeply and madly in love, when naturally, we're not."  
  
"It's amazing how something as little as us becoming friends and moving into the same quarters, can cause people to make so many false assumptions that encourages rumours to spread like wild fire," Hermione said.  
  
"Why?" Draco said suddenly.  
  
"Because people try to encourage others to believe untrue things in the most immature ways," Hermione said as if it were quite obvious.  
  
"No, why is this happening to us?" Draco asked, his voice suddenly becoming slightly harsh. "We're supposed to be enemies, not sharing quarters like we are and most definitely not being suspected of being deeply in love. Today's Potion class seemed to make everything worse and now, everywhere I go I get some comment about us supposedly 'being together'." Hermione stared at him, surprised by his sudden outburst. "It all seems so wrong, just like you keep saying. I'm totally changing when it comes to the way I act, you're being all nice and sweet to me more often then I ever would've imagined you to, we've kissed and I'm falling in love with you. It's all very wrong and I don't understand why it is happening to us when it shouldn't be happening at all!" He took a deep, steady breath and looked away.  
  
Silence followed this as Hermione gathered up her thoughts before speaking.  
  
"You're right," she said rather spitefully. "You're totally right. This shouldn't be happening and we're the only ones that can stop or at least change it." She stood up and headed to her bedroom without a further comment. She really didn't know how to react to his little "speech". In a way, she felt slightly angry with him because, for some odd reason, a couple of his comments her feel upset and even tiny; as if he didn't really care about her. On another hand, she felt shocked by this sudden outburst. It was as though he had wanted to get it off his chest and it had caught her off guard, as well. He had been, of course, right.  
  
She closed her door behind her, deep in thought. Why was this happening to them? Why did they have these feelings and what had made them appear? They'd only kissed once and suddenly, all she wanted him to do was kiss her again.  
  
It was all so wrong . and she had missed the part where he had admitted that he was falling in love with her.  
  
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	11. Falling in Love and Divorce

*Title: When Enemies Interact (11/17). *Author: Orla-Destiny. *Author's email: orla_d_22@yahoo.com.au *Disclaimer: I prefer it on FictionAlley where I don't have to write a stupid disclaimer! Get the point people - please!: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING TO DO WITH HARRY POTTER!!! *Author notes: Here's chapter 11. I hope you enjoy reading it and please review!!!  
~ Thanks to my beta-readers: Ced, Lilia and arlette!!! *P.S: This fic was written before the Order of the Phoenix was released, to all those who read it after that book.  
  
Chapter 11: Falling in Love and Divorce.  
  
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~ * ~ - * - ~ * ~ - *  
  
Over the next week, Draco began to hate himself for having such an outburst, as it seemed to have made Hermione quite upset. He had his reasons for it, though.  
  
He had been getting sick and tired of telling people more often than he should that he and Hermione were not a couple in any way and they were definitely not in love. This, of course, wasn't entirely true. Sure, they weren't a "couple" as such and they weren't in love, but they were definitely not enemies either and he was falling in love with her.  
  
He was falling in love with her. The words swam around his head constantly and they wouldn't stop. Never before he had become Head Boy had he even thought it possible for him to even like Hermione Granger, let alone be falling in love with her. Yet, here he was, falling deeper and deeper in love with her with the very simple thought of her and he despised the fact.  
  
It was quite ironic how that even with her avoiding him, as she had been since his outburst, their feelings for each other continued to grow stronger. Hermione acted differently around him as though they were back to hating each other, and yet they both knew that they were falling into the opposite. She seemed very sad and lonely at times, though Draco didn't know why. She spent most of her time locked in her room or wandering the castle and it's grounds when there was no classes she had to attend. She'd even taken to having extra long baths in what seemed to be an attempt to stay away from him. Draco also had noticed that she was sending a strangely large amount of letters.  
  
They had both signed to stay at school for the Christmas holidays for reasons of their own. Draco didn't want to go home and face his father, while Hermione felt it wise to stay away from her parents fighting and arguing, but she didn't seem all that happy about Draco staying as well.  
  
Draco felt oddly down about Hermione's attitude towards him and he wished he hadn't said anything along the lines in which he had to make her act this way. He wanted everything to go back to the way it had been, but he also wanted to have her in his arms; he wanted to have his lips on hers again.  
  
But, knowing her reaction, that would only cause more complications between them.  
  
* - ~ * ~ - *  
  
Draco headed through the front doors into the cavernous Entrance Hall, feeling utterly exhausted after a long, hard Quidditch practice. He headed up the marble staircase towards the common room.  
  
He reached the floor the entrance portrait was on and was about to turn a corner, but stopped when he heard two familiar voices close by and listened carefully.  
  
". Ron, I'm being serious," Hermione's voice was saying. "He really isn't who you think he is. I've seen a totally different side of him lately. And no, we're not a couple and I don't love him, but I'm not saying that I don't like him. In fact, I admit that I have feelings for him, but I'm not one hundred percent sure of exactly how strong they are. He's been there for me when you and everyone else hasn't and that means a lot to me."  
  
"Hermione, this is Malfoy, we're talking about here," came Ron's voice. "You know what his father's like and he'll probably turn out the same: an evil Death Eater who wishes Muggle-borns like you dead."  
  
"Draco isn't like his father and he never will be, Ron," Hermione said indignantly. "I don't believe he'll become a Death Eater."  
  
Draco raised an eyebrow, nodded to himself and continued to listen.  
  
"I've gotten to know him better than you'll ever know him, Ron. If I forgive you, you have to leave him alone and respect the way I feel about him," Hermione continued. "I need someone to talk to at the moment, Ron and I just want to make you aware that that is really only the main reason why I am forgiving you. I want you to understand that I can't truly forgive you for hurting me like you did, but I'm giving you a chance. If you hurt me again like you did, though, I won't tolerate it."  
  
It was a moment before one of them spoke again. "Alright," Ron said, "But I really am sorry for the way I've been acting."  
  
"I don't care, Ron," Hermione said honestly. A rather eerie silence followed this sentence. Draco only just had time to duck into the shadows of a nearby alcove as Ron rounded the corner with a strange expression on his freckled face, and walked straight passed Draco without a single glance in his direction. Heading out of the alcove, Draco watched Ron's retreated back with narrowed eyes. There had been something oddly suspicious about Ron's expression.  
  
*  
  
Draco found it very hard to believe that Hermione had forgiven Ron ever-so- easily after the way he had treated her for the past couple or so months. Draco thought she was smarter than that, but obviously, he was wrong, unless she had suddenly become desperate for someone to talk to. Draco just didn't understand it and he wondered whether Hermione understood it herself.  
  
She didn't, though and it was becoming clearer and clearer at every thought of it. She wasn't sure as to why she had gone and forgiven Ron as easily as she had, after he had been the bastard he had. Yet, she continued to walk around the castle with him, telling him everything from her feelings for Draco to the way people had treated her since her break up with Harry. She had told him almost everything, except for the kiss she had shared with Draco in the library, which she had thought wise to leave out.  
  
At the moment, she was walking along the Charms corridor with him, talking casually, when the topic turned to Harry.  
  
"Ginny dumped Harry," Ron said. "She seems to think he was selfish right from the beginning, after you broke up with him. All he really cared about then was the fact they didn't have to be secretive anymore. More recently, though, she started suspecting that he was jealous of Malfoy because of you."  
  
"Well he can carry on being jealous, because I'm not going to forgive him anytime soon," Hermione said hotly.  
  
"Even if he is jealous, I don't think he'd forgive you for your actions," Ron said.  
  
"Actions?"  
  
"Malfoy," Ron clarified.  
  
"I don't know what sort of 'actions' he means," Hermione said, "but Draco and I have done nothing but hung around with each other and the whole us moving in to the same quarters was Dumbledore's idea."  
  
"Well he, like a lot of the rest of the school, believes something more is going on between you two," Ron said. "And I don't blame them."  
  
"Well that's wonderful, Ron," Hermione said, her tone mixed with sarcasm and slight pain. "I actually thought you'd be one to see through all that - that rubbish."  
  
"Hermione, is there anything else going on between you two, other than these feelings you've told me about?" Ron asked.  
  
"No," Hermione said irritably. "I've told you a hundred times and I thought you believed me."  
  
They were silent after that, as Hermione calmed down a bit while Ron felt it best not to press the subject any more. Finally Hermione spoke again.  
  
"I don't want to just to talk about Draco, Ron," Hermione said, her voice suddenly slightly shaky. "I also want to talk about the problems going on between my - my parents.  
  
"You see, ever since I got my letter from Hogwarts, when I was ten, my mum and dad's relationship hasn't been all that close," Hermione said. "My dad didn't like the idea of me being a witch and coming here. In fact he despised it. My mum persuaded him into allowing it, but they've been fighting ever since and now it's getting worse.  
  
"I've been writing to mum for the past week or so and she's been writing back," Hermione continued. "Several of the letters I've received have been covered in tear marks and in the last one, she told me - she told me that dad had been talking about divorce. I'm scared, Ron, I don't know what I would do if they got a divorce. Dad would never want to see me, and mum . well, she wouldn't be easy to cheer up. I'm just scared, terrified even." Hermione took a deep breath and wiped away the tears that had formed in her eyes. "I don't know what to do."  
  
They were silent for several minutes, while Ron thought about what to say and gathered his thoughts.  
  
"I guess you'll just have to take it as it comes, Hermione," he said finally. "I wouldn't get involved if I were you, as you may make it worse. Let them be the ones to sort it out."  
  
Hermione wiped away more tears and gave Ron a very weak smile. "Thank you for listening, Ron," she said. Ron gave her a lop-sided smile as his ears went slightly pink.  
  
"I try," he mumbled.  
  
*  
  
Hermione entered the common room with tears running down her cheeks. When she had left Ron to come here, she couldn't help but finally let the tears out.  
  
Draco was sitting on the couch when she entered and turned to look her. He didn't notice that she was crying.  
  
"Is this your cat?" he asked, indicating a ball of fluffy, ginger fur curled up in his lap.  
  
"Yes," Hermione said, through the tears as she crossed the room to the door of her bedroom. "That's Crookshanks."  
  
"Crookshanks?" Draco repeated with a small frown. Hermione nodded. "That's a strange name."  
  
"It's not really," Hermione said, entering the room and closing the door behind her.  
  
"If you say so," Draco muttered as he patted the purring Crookshanks.  
  
Hermione leaned against the door, tears still spilling from her eyes. She wanted more then anything at that moment to just curl up, go to sleep and leave her worrying and emotions until the morning. It would be hard to clear her head and do that, though.  
  
There was a knock on the door and Hermione realised she had been crying quite loudly.  
  
"Hermione?" Draco's voice called. "Hermione, are you alright?"  
  
"Just go away!" Hermione called back, wiping her eyes. She walked over to her bed and threw herself onto it, sobbing hopelessly into her pillow. She heard the creak of the door opening and inwardly moaned.  
  
"Hermione, what's the matter?" Draco voice asked again.  
  
"Go away, Draco," Hermione said, the words only just distinguishable. "You don't care about me, so don't act as though you do." She knew these words were not truthful, but she didn't want him to be seeing her like this.  
  
"Don't care about you?" Draco repeated. "I haven't said anything to you for you to get that idea, have I?"  
  
"No," Hermione said. "Just go - go away."  
  
"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's wrong," Draco said stubbornly.  
  
"I just - I don't want to talk about it," Hermione said, turning over to reveal her swollen eyes and blotchy, wet cheeks. "Please, just - just go away."  
  
Draco sighed. "Fine." With that, he left, closing the door behind him.  
  
Hermione forced herself to calm down soon after that and was finally able to get to sleep tear-free. Little did she know she would be woken in a few hours time by some unwelcome news that would cause even more tears.  
  
*  
  
Draco woke up out of a deep sleep at about one o'clock in the morning to the sound of loud, uncontrollable sobs coming from Hermione's room. It caused him to wonder what had caused her to wake and start crying again. He knew she had calmed down and gotten to sleep, as he had, out of curiosity, checked on her before going to bed himself.  
  
Slowly, he got out of bed with a big yawn and wandered out of his room and over to Hermione's closed door. He knocked upon it, only to receive no reply. Letting out an agitated sort of sigh, he opened the door to see Hermione, crying into her pillow once more, a letter held loose in her hand.  
  
"Hermione?" he said, approaching her. "Hermione, tell me what's wrong."  
  
He reached her bed and sat down on the edge, next to her. She let out a sob and turned over, her face wet and blotchy as it had been before.  
  
"My - my -" She let out a sob and more tears leaked out of her swollen, red eyes. She took a deep, ragged breath in an attempt to calm herself. "My mum an-and dad are - they're getting a divorce!" She thrust the letter into Draco's hand and he read it.  
  
Dear Hermione,  
I hope you don't get too upset by this news, but your father and I have agreed to file for divorce, as it would be for the best. Your father has already packed his bags and has left, while I am staying at your grandmother's for the holidays.  
I know you may be thinking this was your entire fault, but it isn't Hermione dear, it's your fathers. He's the one that caused the problems in this family right from the beginning and I don't what you thinking anything but that.  
Have a good Christmas and I love you.  
Love,  
~ Mum.  
  
Hermione let out a horrific sob as he finished reading and, without warning, she threw her arms around his neck and began to sob into his shoulder. Draco, feeling rather awkward, as he wasn't someone who usually comforted people, wrapped his arms around her. "It's ok, Hermione. Everything will be alright."  
  
"She - she was only t-trying to make me f-feel better," Hermione sobbed. "It really is all my fault!"  
  
"Hermione, don't say that," Draco said. "Nothing was all your fault." His words didn't do much, as Hermione just continued to sob helplessly into his shoulder.  
  
Draco didn't know how long he sat there, with her in his arms, but it was a while before she finally calmed down and fell back to sleep, still in his arms.  
  
Slowly, he lay her back down on the bed and put a blanket over her. He watched her for a moment, before placing the letter on her bedside table, and left the room to head back to bed himself, hoping Hermione would be emotionally better in the morning.  
  
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	12. The Betrayal and the Dream

*Title: When Enemies Interact (12/17). *Author: Orla-Destiny. *Author's email: orla_d_22@yahoo.com.au *Disclaimer: *groans* I own nothing to do with Harry Potter!!! God, I wish I did, but I DON'T!!! *Author notes: Here's chapter 12. I hope you enjoy it. Please review!!!!! ~ Thanks to Ced, Lilia and arlette for their beta help!!! *P.S: This fic was written before the Order of the Phoenix was released, to all those who read it after that book.  
  
Chapter 12: The Betrayal and the Dream.  
  
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Hermione knew that the weeks following the news of her parents' split would be hard and emotional for her, but, for some reason, they were no where near as bad as the ones closest to Christmas.  
  
She didn't know why, but she felt that nothing could cheer her up. Even the idea of Christmas being as close as it was, or the end of term or a trip into the village Hogsmeade couldn't do that. She didn't know why she was this upset, as she had had a fair idea that it would happen eventually.  
  
Not many showed sympathy towards her about it, though some had approached her and shown some sign that they cared. The teachers didn't seem to care, either. Snape, being the evillest of them, wouldn't tolerate such emotions in his class and kicked Hermione out of the Potions dungeon and told her not to return until she'd straightened herself out.  
  
Draco tried to cheer her up, but his attempts weren't very successful, much less were Ron's. The only thing that had really been all that successful, in fact, had been when she came back from Hogsmeade to find that Draco had decorated the common room for Christmas, with tree and all, which greatly surprised Hermione.  
  
She was of course back to friendly terms with Draco, but her feelings for him were still steadily growing stronger. Almost every night, they sat in the common room together and talked about almost everything imaginable and they were getting to know each other a lot more.  
  
His feelings for her were continuing to grow as well. In fact, it was hard to imagine that a mere second passed without him thinking about her in some way or another. He greatly wanted to be kissing her again, but he knew he shouldn't, as she would most likely freak out again.  
  
* - ~ * ~ - *  
  
Draco was woken early Christmas Day and forced out of his warm, comfortable bed by Hermione.  
  
"Happy Christmas!" she said delightfully as he rubbed his eyes and yawned.  
  
"You've definitely cheered up," he said hastily, sitting down on the couch lazily.  
  
Hermione gave a small smile and shrugged. "It's my Christmas spirit," she said, smiling and throwing him his present. Draco caught it and struggled, rather sleepily, off the couch to sit by the tree and handed Hermione her present.  
  
Together, they unwrapped all their presents. Hermione received mostly clothes and books off her family and a huge box of surprise-centred chocolates from Draco. Draco, on the other hand, received a mixture of smaller, different things, while his parents had gotten him a brand new Firebolt. Hermione had bought him a luxury, and rather expensive, phoenix feather quill (Draco collected quills) and a bag of Fizzing Wizzbees (his favourite sweet).  
  
They sat around in the common room for most of the morning after breakfast, watching Crookshanks pounce around playing with the wrapping paper, which they had left lying around the room. When lunchtime finally came, they walked down to the noisy, decorated Great Hall together, where they separated to sit at their separate house tables, each with about a dozen students sitting under the enchanted ceiling in which had bewitched snow falling from it. Hermione decided to take a seat beside Ron, ignoring Harry who was sitting with him, while Draco took the seat between Crabbe and Goyle.  
  
Christmas lunch at Hogwarts was always found to be enjoyable. You could eat until you were bursting at the seams, laugh and talk with friends and share Christmas crackers with people. It was made for fun. Draco, however, couldn't help but feel glum as he noticed just how much Hermione looked out of place sitting with Harry and Ron. They were talking amongst themselves without her and she looked quite unhappy as she sat, eating and drinking silently, with absent thoughts.  
  
Draco continued to throw her glances all through the magnificent Christmas feast, until she finally seemed to have finished. He watched her as she stood up, turned to Ron and said something, obviously encouraging Ron to stand up as well, saying something to Harry as he did so.  
  
Draco kept his gaze on Harry as Hermione and Ron left the Hall together. Harry sat there silently for moment, before throwing Draco a curious glare and stood up. At first, Draco thought he was going to leave as well, but he didn't. Instead, he headed straight over to the Slytherin table, where Draco was sitting and stopped shortly in front of him, a fixed glare on his boyish face.  
  
"I thought you didn't like her, Malfoy?" he said abruptly, his words full of icy coldness. Draco raised an eyebrow and gave Harry a look that said he didn't understand what he was on about. "Answer the question, Malfoy, because she definitely likes you and being the brightest witch I know, I don't think she would fall for someone like you as easily as she has, unless she had some . some encouragement." Draco had a glare on his face now, matching the one on Harry's.  
  
"You are truly jealous, aren't you, Potter?" Draco sneered. "I knew you would be. Maybe you should get down on your knees and beg for her forgiveness. You know very well that you picked the wrong girl, and yet you know Hermione won't take you back. You regret your actions, don't you, Potter?"  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about, Malfoy," Harry said angrily though gritted teeth.  
  
"Oh I think you do, Potter," Draco said maliciously. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. Answer my question, Potter: You really are jealous, aren't you?"  
  
Harry stood there, quiet for moment, going over the question in his head, as anger surging through his veins. "Yes," he said finally. "Happy now, Malfoy, you got the answer you wanted. Now I'll repeat my question: do you like Hermione?"  
  
"Why yes, Potter, I do," Draco said simply, his eyes flashing as a smirk came to his lips. "You told me that she definitely likes me, but might I ask who told you that to make you so sure, Potter, because I honestly don't believe that she would tell you of all people?" He was catching onto something here.  
  
Harry didn't even hesitate before replying: "Ron told me." This was the exact answer Draco had been expecting and was suspicious of.  
  
"Weasley told you, did he?" Draco said, feeling the anger erupt inside him. "Obviously Weasley can't keep personal and private things of Hermione's to himself. That is if she told him in the first place."  
  
"Ron's been telling me everything that she's told him," Harry said. "All about her parents, the problems in her life at the moment, her feelings for you. She obviously thinks she can trust Ron to keep it all a secret, but I know everything."  
  
Draco stood up abruptly, his anger getting the best of him. "Good one, Potter, you've just put your best friend Weasley on his death bed!" Draco stormed away before Harry could do or say anything to stop him. He exited the Hall in search for Ron and Hermione.  
  
He couldn't help but get as angry as he was and he was going to make Ron pay and regret betraying Hermione like he had. Hermione had forgiven him and trusted him with things so personal to her and he had just gone and told it all to the one person she would probably least likely wish him to.  
  
He exited the castle and walked out onto the snowy grounds. He could see Hermione and Ron in the distance by the lake. He headed towards them, noticing that they were having quite a lot of fun with a snowball fight. Their happiness somehow made Draco even angrier. How could Hermione just go and forgive him like she had? She should've known better. Here she is, the smartest student at Hogwarts and she just went and did a stupid thing and forgiven him for no real reason whatsoever. Ron didn't even seem to feel guilty.  
  
Neither Ron nor Hermione had noticed Draco walking towards them until the last minute, when Draco headed straight up to Ron with a look of great hatred. He threw a confused Hermione a quick glance before raising his fist and giving Ron an extremely hard punch in the nose, causing a great amount of blood to spill from it and down Ron's hand-me-down robes. Ron had staggered backwards with the force of the punch and was looking both bewildered and in pain. Draco wasn't finished, however, as he gave another great punch, this time to Ron's stomach.  
  
Ron doubled over with a gasp of pain. The blood from his nose was still streaming everywhere, but he made no move to nurse it. Instead, he straightened and before Draco knew what was happening, Ron's fist made painful contact with his upper cheek and eye. Draco thrust his hand into his robes angrily and brought out his wand, pointing it at Ron with a steady hand.  
  
"Hermione trusted you, Weasley!" he snarled, his gaze full of hateful malice. "You must have some nerve to go and tell Potter everything she told you."  
  
Hermione, who had been watching the fight with shock and had been yelling unnoticeably for them to stop, looked over at Ron's bloody face and felt her bottom lip tremble as tears welled up in her eyes.  
  
"Is this - is this true, Ron?" she asked. Ron just turned to look at her with an expression of small guilt. "I don't believe you, Ron. I told you everything! I thought I could trust you, but no, you went and betrayed me by telling it all to Harry. You knew I didn't want him to know about any of it!" The tears that had been building up in her eyes let go and ran silently down her cheeks and she bit her lower lip as an attempt to stop it from trembling violently.  
  
"I'm really sorry, Hermione," Ron said. Hermione just shook her head.  
  
"Sorry isn't good enough, Ron," she said. "Not this time." She turned around and started towards the castle. Draco watched her leave for a moment before turning back to Ron, who was trying to clean away the blood from his face.  
  
"You're lucky I didn't curse you to death, Weasley," Draco sneered, still pointing his wand at Ron, "but if you do anything else like this and hurt Hermione, I swear I will." He turned on his heel and followed Hermione's path back up to the castle, leaving Ron standing there, nursing his blood nose.  
  
*  
  
"I can't believe I actually trusted him," Hermione said for about the tenth time that evening, as she sat in the common room with Draco after Christmas tea. "I was stupid to have forgiven him as easily as I did. I should've gone to Hagrid or someone, not him. I mean, how could he?"  
  
Draco stayed silent, not knowing exactly what to do or say. Hermione just sighed before continuing, her face passive with an upset emotion.  
  
"How much did - how much did Harry tell you?" she asked quietly.  
  
"Well," Draco started, not knowing exactly how to say it. "He approached me and asked about my feelings for you, because he knew you had, er, definite feelings for me." Hermione looked away, her cheeks going slightly pink. "He then told me that Weasley had told him 'everything' you told him."  
  
Hermione looked down at her hands and took a deep breath. "I'm feeling a bit tired," she said. "I think I might go to bed a little earlier tonight." She stood up as Draco looked at his watch.  
  
"It's not even half past eight, yet," he said, raising an eyebrow as he looked up at her.  
  
"I know," Hermione said. "I'm going to have a bath first, but I really should get to bed. It's been a really long day and I did get up quite early, so."  
  
Draco shrugged and Hermione headed into her room to get her things to take a bath. Once she was in the bathroom with the door closed, Draco gave a great stretch and sighed, a smile coming to his lips as a fact resurfaced in his mind.  
  
She had definite feelings for him.  
  
* - ~ * ~ - *  
  
Hermione walked across the grounds to the edge of the forest, where Draco stood waiting for her.  
  
"You wanted to talk to me about something?" Hermione said softly as she reached him.  
  
Draco smiled down at her. "You know I care about you, Hermione," he said, "but I'm sick of this stupid game you're playing. Every time I take one step forward, you always take two steps back, if you know what I mean. I just want to be able to kiss you and not have you run away. I want to be able to share my feelings with you and not have you freak out. I'm beginning to think that's too much to ask of you, though. Tell me, Hermione, is it?" He looked at her almost desperately.  
  
"No, Draco," Hermione replied with a shake of her head. "It's not too much to ask; I'm just scared. I've never felt this way about anyone in my life and I'm scared that if I do commit to such a relationship with you, you'll break my heart, like Harry did."  
  
"You should know me better than that by now, Hermione," Draco said. "You can trust me, I swear and if I do such a thing, feel free to curse me into a hundred pieces and throw me into the lake." Hermione gave a short laugh and smiled.  
  
"It's definitely not too much to ask, then," she said, reaching up to stroke his smooth cheek softly. Draco smiled back and bent down to kiss her.  
  
He kissed her ever so deeply and Hermione felt as though she was melting against his lips.  
  
Slowly, Hermione woke up, a smile on her lips and she opened her eyes. It had only been a dream, but to Hermione, it had felt so real and so wonderful.  
  
She absently licked her lips, before reaching over to her bedside table to grab her wand. "Lumos," she whispered as she held it firmly in her hand. The end of the wand lit up and she shone it in the direction of her alarm clock to see the time. It was only just passed midnight.  
  
Hermione sighed. She didn't feel remotely tired and didn't feel like going back to sleep, so she climbed out of bed and quietly crept out into the common room. She taped the Christmas tree with her wand as she passed it to turn the lights on and sat down on the couch, staring at the lit tree, as it's lights flashed on and off.  
  
A small smile was still playing on her lips and as her thoughts trailed back to the dream, her gaze shifted to the closed door of Draco's room. She slowly stood up and made her way over to it and placed a hand on the doorknob. She hesitated before turning it and quietly entering the room. She walked over to the side of Draco's bed and looked down at him, sleeping. There was a small amount of moonlight flooding in from his window and she noticed how sweet and innocent he looked while sleeping.  
  
Slowly, she sat down on the edge of the bed and, hesitantly, moved her hand to his pale cheek and softly, very softly stroked it with her fingers. He moved a bit, mumbling something she couldn't distinguish, but he slept on peacefully. She just watched him for a few moments, before taking a deep breath and bending down towards him. She stopped for a moment; unsure if what she wanted to do was right, before softly kissing him on the lips. She took another deep breath before she moved away and stood up to head back to bed.  
  
She slowly and quietly began to close the door, but as she was inches from closing it fully, Draco's voice sounded from his bed.  
  
"Hermione?" he said, sitting up. Hermione slowly re-opened the door and looked over at him as he climbed out of bed and made his way to the door. "Hermione, aren't you supposed to be sleeping, not kissing me?" Even in the dark she could tell he was smirking. Hermione felt a blush creep up onto her cheeks and she looked away.  
  
"I, er." She was in the middle of finding a sensible answer to his question, when his lips were suddenly on hers, kissing her with both force and passion. Hermione responded, kissing him back, while running her hands up his bare chest and up around his shoulders.  
  
The kiss was just as intense, just as wonderful as the one they'd shared in the library. It was deep, forceful, passionate, exciting, sweet, and fiery, not to mention a whole lot of other things put together. All that seemed to matter in the world to them at this moment was this wanted, needed kiss, as if it was the only thing keeping them truly sane. The only thing occupying their minds was this longed kiss. It seemed that this had been the only thing they had wanted since their last kiss, their first kiss, quite some time ago.  
  
Draco's arms were around Hermione's waist, keeping her close, while Hermione's were around his neck, her fingers tangled in his hair. Both their hearts were beating at an irregular pace and the ecstasy between them was becoming more obvious for both of them, but neither wanted it to stop.  
  
A moan of pleasure escaped Hermione's throat and Draco suddenly felt he should stop, before it became out of hand, but he didn't want to. He brought his thoughts together and broke the kiss, not letting go of her. He took a deep breath and smiled to himself, before burying his face in her hair, taking in the sweet scent of her.  
  
"Don't run away," he whispered in her ear. Hermione breathed in deeply, unsure of her thoughts and feelings at that moment.  
  
"I'm not going to, Draco," she said. "I don't think this should happen again, though." This sentence escaped her lips without her wanting it to and she immediately wanted to take it back as Draco let go of her. It had been the wrong thing to say and she knew it.  
  
"Why, because it's so wrong?" Draco said, his tone caustic. He looked at her with a look of misunderstanding and questioning. Hermione looked down at her feet and slowly nodded. "I honestly don't think I understand the way your mind works, Hermione," Draco said, moving away and sitting at the end of his bed. "This game you seem to be playing. Is it really that wrong, Hermione, or are trying to convince yourself to think that? Enemies once or not, I'm falling in love with you and I've never felt this way about anyone in my whole life and you keep saying it's wrong, but I'm actually beginning to think it's not. Consider one thing, Hermione: how can it be wrong when it feels so right?"  
  
Hermione looked at him, biting her lower lip, with many different thoughts occupying her mind. "I think I'm falling in love with you too, Draco," she admitted after a moment, "but I think I need time to think about it and get my thoughts straight."  
  
"Time?" Draco repeated. "Didn't you get enough time to think last time?" His voice was harsh and it made Hermione upset.  
  
"Why can't you just understand, Draco?" she asked. "I'm going through a rather rough time at the moment and this doesn't really make it all that much better. I want time, Draco. I need time to think everything over and I want you to provide that time for me. So please, give me that." She was looking at him with a gaze full of desperation.  
  
Draco gazed up at her as she stood in the doorway, looking at him with that hopeless expression. He sighed. "Fine," he said finally, not looking at her. "Take as much bloody time as you need."  
  
Hermione looked at him with a look hinting slight pain, but didn't say anything more. Instead, she turned and headed back to bed, closing the door behind her. His reply hadn't been all that encouraging to her. All she wanted was for him to understand the fact she needed a bit of time to get her exact thoughts and feelings straight.  
  
She climbed back into bed and sighed heavily. Why did she even say that it "shouldn't happen again"? Everything would be much easier if she hadn't.  
  
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	13. Letter of True Confession

*Title: When Enemies Interact (13/17). *Author: Orla-Destiny. *Author's email: orla_d_22@yahoo.com.au *Disclaimer: I don't own a single thing!!!!!!! *Author notes: This chapter is really quite short, but I promise you that it is sweet!!!  
I hope you enjoy and please review!!!  
~ Thanks to Ced, Lilia and arlette for their beta-reading!! *P.S: This fic was written before the Order of the Phoenix was released, to all those who read it after that book.  
  
Chapter 13: Letter of True Confession.  
  
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The couple of days following were extremely miserable for both Draco and Hermione.  
  
Hermione spent most of her time in the common room, going over everything in her head. She was trying to decide which way to go; which path to follow. Her heart was telling her to follow the path she presumed wrong: Draco. While her mind was telling her to follow the other: not Draco. Everything was so confusing for her and she kept changing her mind constantly.  
  
Draco, on the other hand, had taken to flying around the Quidditch pitch on his new broomstick, trying to keep his mind off Hermione and give her time to decide exactly what she wanted. He was very sure as to what he wanted and he was willing to do anything in his power to get that. He was sick and tired of sitting around and waiting for her to make the choices. He had to do something, anything to get her to realise that the whole situation of them was not wrong, that it was in fact right, very right.  
  
Neither one of them knew how to handle situations like this. Draco ended up getting a cold from flying around in the icy cold air all day and had to go to Madam Pomfrey to take some relieving Pepper-up Potion. In the meantime, Hermione had gotten absolutely nowhere in reminiscing about the past couple of months when she had spent time with Draco.  
  
* - ~ * ~ - *  
  
Draco flew around the Quidditch stadium for about the hundredth time that day, feeling the icy cold wind rip against him. He could sense a snow storm coming, but didn't feel much like going back to the common room and watching Hermione star blankly into the warm, blazing fire. He knew he should, though, as he really couldn't afford coming down with another cold.  
  
Movement below him caused Draco to look down at the pitch and he made his way to the ground. Two figures in scarlet robes were moving onto the pitch, carrying the large Quidditch chest between them. Draco knew almost instantly that it was Harry and Ron. Landing on the frosty grass, Draco got off his broom and began to make his way towards them, a look of pure hatred on his pointed face.  
  
"What are you doing down here, Malfoy?" Ron asked coldly. Draco was satisfied to see that there were still faint bruises around his nose and eyes and he suddenly felt he wanted to make them darker and more severe. "Aren't you supposed to up in your quarters with Hermione?"  
  
Draco sneered at him, but didn't reply. Instead, he shoved passed them both to head to the changing rooms. He wasn't sure why he hadn't retorted as he had badly wanted to.  
  
In the changing rooms, Draco's mind went completely blank as he got under a boiling hot shower to warm up, and he was thankful of it. However, because of this, he didn't notice Hermione enter and take a seat in the corner of the steam-filled room.  
  
Hermione could see the back of Draco's head over the top of the short tiled wall that helped shield most of him from view. She watched him for several minutes, biting her lower lip, deep in thought. She had written him a letter, but she was still considering whether to give it to him or not. She didn't really want to talk to him, as the letter had made her realise some things she felt she didn't have the courage to approach him and tell it to his face. She also didn't want to be put on the spot where he was standing in front of her, wearing only a towel and she could feel the wet heat penetrating from him.  
  
Taking an uneasy breath, she stood up and quietly approached the green bundle of his Quidditch Robes, bundled up on a seat nearby. She hesitated before tucking the parchment envelope inside, where it was likely to become noticeable when he went to put them on. She gave Draco one last glance before heading to the door and exiting out onto the cold grounds and up towards the castle.  
  
Meanwhile, Draco continued to take his hot shower, completely unaware that Hermione had been in the room. He finally got out when his fingertips were becoming wrinkly and wrapped a towel around the lower part of his body. He headed over to where he had placed his clothes and slowly dried and dressed himself, before picking up the robes, only to feel something slip through his fingers. A very light and dull sound followed this, as an edge of the parchment envelope hit the ground, causing Draco to look down at it curiously.  
  
He noticed his name written in a neat scrawl he recognised as Hermione's on the creamy parchment and, frowning, he bent down and picked it up. He looked around the empty room carefully before opening the envelope and pulling out the letter. Sitting down on the seat, he unfolded it, a small frown still on his face and began to read, his heart pace becoming slightly irregular for some reason.  
  
Dear Draco,  
I'm writing this letter to make you aware of the exact feelings that I hold for you. I am writing it because I don't think I could handle telling it to your face.  
  
Everything has changed for me over these last couple of months and I'm not sure whether it's changed for the better or not. I've lost my two greatest friends, but I've gained something else entirely. I'm not sure of what that "something" is, but I do know that it was you that has given, or is giving, it to me. You, the one I once called my worst enemy, the one who used to insult me, the one I am falling in love with. It's hard to imagine that something like this could come between two people who despised each other for most of the years of knowing one another, like us. Yet, here I am, writing this letter to you to give you an idea of my affections for you. I've been crying, non-stop, for hours, just trying to work out why we shouldn't be together, when we're supposed to be together. You were right the other night when saying "How can it be wrong, when it feels so right?" The words keep circling my head and with every circle, my feelings become clearer.  
I believe this is our destiny, Draco. For some reason I believe it is and I've never been one to really believe in such a thing - a fairy tale. I long for you every second of every day. When our lips touch, it's like fireworks through my whole body and I never want to stop. I do stop though, when a piece of my self conscious tells me that I have to stop; that what's happening is too wrong and I shouldn't be allowing it to happen or have this effect on me. It was like a dagger to my heart in just forcing myself to break that first kiss and telling you to get off me, when I truly wanted the sensation of you against me to continue. I've told you that I was scared and I was, but in a way I still am. I've never felt this way about anyone, Draco, and I've been acting like an idiot about it. I want you to know that I am truly sorry and I am willing to do anything to make up for it. Writing this letter is causing me to have flashbacks of the times we've spent together, from the time in fifth year when we had to do Prefect duties together, to the kiss on Christmas night. All though the whole time of knowing you, I've had some sort of feeling towards you other than hatred, though I wasn't quite sure as to what it was exactly. The only thing I know is that it has been the past couple of months that has caused me to realise it. I am realising new things each day and today, that thing that I have realised makes my heart pound against my chest at the very thought of you: I am not falling in love with you, Draco; I am in love with you. I love you, Draco Malfoy and I believe I will forever. Love,  
~ Hermione.  
  
Draco stared at the last sentence of the letter and ran his fingers through his wet hair, his heart now beating loudly and madly in his chest. No one had ever said those words to him. No one in his whole life had ever said it, not even a member of his family, and he found himself slightly scared of them. The words "I love you" seemed like words of great commitment, a bond between two that is extremely hard to break. Yet, she had said them and he suddenly knew that he felt that way about her as well. He loved her, but he wasn't sure if he could say it, as he'd never said the words to anyone in all his life.  
  
Taking a deep breath, Draco stood up, refolded the letter and pulled on his robes, ready to head back to the castle.  
  
He took his time as he walked from the Quidditch pitch to the castle, deep in thought about Hermione. The letter was still clutched in his hand and he was going over it in his head, trying to work out exactly what he was going to say to Hermione when he reached their quarters.  
  
He loved her and he knew it, he just had to get it out and tell her, but it seemed so hard. He crossed the Entrance Hall and headed up the staircase towards their common room. His heart was still beating furiously against his chest and he had never felt anything like it.  
  
He absently reached the portrait of Daniella and Iain and after giving the password ("Mistletoe"), he headed up the stairs towards the common room to talk to Hermione, believing that he'd never felt this frightened in his life.  
  
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	14. In Memory of Terry Boot

*Title: When Enemies Interact (14/17). *Author: Orla-Destiny. *Author's email: orla_d_22@yahoo.com.au *Disclaimer: I own nothing!!! *Author notes: Here's chapter 14! Phew, this story is definitely coming along. I hope you like this chapter, even though it is a tiny bit OoC in its own lil' way! Please Review! In note to the funeral bit, I haven't had much experience with funerals, so I don't really know exactly what goes on at them etc. I had to get my mum to help me a bit and I hope what I've written is close to accurate. My mum actually told me that some funerals are different to others, so. ~ Big thanks to my beta-readers: Ced, Lilia and arlette!!! *P.S: This fic was written before the Order of the Phoenix was released, to all those who read it after that book.  
  
Chapter 14: In Memory of Terry Boot. * - ~ * ~ - * - ~ * ~ - * - ~ * ~ - * - ~ * ~ - * - ~ * ~ - * - ~ * ~ - * -  
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Heading up the last couple of steps, Draco took a deep breath and entered the warmth of the common room, only to find Hermione sitting on the couch, crying hopelessly as she looked into the blazing fire. All the thoughts of what he was going to say to her vanished from his mind instantly and he found himself hoping it hadn't been him that had made her as upset as she was.  
  
"Hermione?" he said, approaching her as he stuffed the letter into his pocket. "What's the matter?"  
  
She looked up at him, showing her swollen red eyes and wet cheeks.  
  
"T-Terry died!" she sobbed. "D-Dumbledore's just been to t-tell us. H-He died in his s-sleep last n-night and there's g-going to be a f-funeral service here at th-the school on We-Wednesday!" She bit down on her lip to stop it from trembling before breaking down again.  
  
Draco sat down on the couch beside her and felt his arm wrap around her shoulders, although he hadn't really thought about doing so. Hermione, however, just let out a great sob and buried her face in his shoulder, crying unceasingly.  
  
"W-Will you go w-with me t-to the f-funeral, Draco?" she asked, her words muffled, but still distinguishable.  
  
Draco didn't really have to think about it before replying. "Yes," he said simply. He bent down slowly and gave her a tiny kiss on the head, trying to ignore the odd feeling that surged through him from doing so. He heard her sniff before she raised her head, wiping her swollen red eyes.  
  
"Thank-you," she said weakly, before giving him a small, soft kiss on the lips, which left Draco in thought.  
  
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The days leading up to Wednesday (the day of the funeral) went by quite uneventfully for both Draco and Hermione. Hermione had wanted to help with the preparations for the service, but was told by Professor McGonagall to leave it to the teachers and the ones closest to Terry, such as his parents.  
  
Draco, on the other hand, was having a bit of a hard time in telling Hermione about his own feelings. He had tried, several times, but before he even started to explain, she would say something along the lines of "Not now, Draco." He had tried to write a letter, like she had, but as he wasn't very good at writing stuff like that, his attempts had turned out quite pathetic. It was beginning to drive him mad, insane even. He had to get it out.  
  
Right now, however, they were walking across the snow-covered grounds to the lake, where the funeral was about to be held and he didn't feel it was the right time to tell her.  
  
They neared the edge of the frozen-over lake to find that many chairs had been erected and were facing an open timber coffin, showing the lifeless form of Terry. Hermione let out a sob and covered her mouth with a hand, trying to restrain herself from crying. At the sight of Terry's stony- white body, Draco felt a sickening sensation in his stomach and his insides went cold.  
  
They slowly approached the casket and Hermione let out the tears she had been holding back as they looked down at the limp and colourless form of Terry's dead body. Draco watched Hermione carefully as the tears ran silently down her pale cheeks. She was very upset about the whole affair. He finally seemed to realise that her life hadn't been all that enjoyable over the last few months. Harry had cheated on her, he and Ron had hurt her terribly in different ways, her parents had decided on getting a divorce, and now Terry was dead and she was standing in front of his open coffin. He wished they hadn't come as early, as they might have avoided this and Hermione may not have been as upset at this moment as she was.  
  
Draco shifted his gaze back down to Terry, who was wearing his plain black school robes and he suddenly felt regret. Regret for being as mean as he had been towards Terry, just because he had gotten Head Boy first. Draco shifted uncomfortably and looked around, thoughts running though his mind. He felt it best as he undid the Head Boy badge on his robes, before hesitantly pinning it onto Terry's.  
  
"You were the true Head Boy, Boot," he murmured, continuing to look down at Terry's body, "but I have to thank you." He could feel Hermione's shocked stare burning into him, but ignored it, turned around and headed towards the back row of chairs to sit down.  
  
Hermione followed him and took a seat beside him. "That was a really nice thing you did then, Draco," she said in a soft voice, dabbing her watery eyes with a small, florally handkerchief. Draco just sat and stared at the still surface of the lake. "I thank you for coming with me, I mean, you were never really fond of Terry and I appreciate you being here with me."  
  
Draco continued to stare ahead. "You were right," he said rather abruptly. "You said, months ago, before all this stuff between us started, that I would come to regret being such a bastard towards Terry and I do. I wish I had never said anything."  
  
Hermione looked at Draco's glazed-over face, reminded suddenly of a small, guilty child. His face was pale, even more so than usual, and he had an odd glimmer in those grey eyes of his. She shifted her hand silently so it rested on top of his. He turned his over and allowed her fingers to entwine with his.  
  
"Don't put yourself down, Draco," Hermione said softly. "You had your reasons to feel that way towards Terry, hating him and all. I can understand those reasons, even if they were a little selfish on your part. I know I'd feel the same way if Susan Bones had gotten Head Girl instead of me." She looked away from him, suddenly feeling uncomfortable.  
  
"That Bones girl could never have gotten Head Girl instead of you," Draco murmured.  
  
"I believe she could've," Hermione stated quietly.  
  
Draco looked down at their hands, locked together. He couldn't quite understand why she had been doing things like this to him a lot lately. First the quick kiss on the night they'd first found out about Terry's death and now this, but he gathered it all had to do with the contents of her letter.  
  
He took a deep breath before opening his mouth to speak again, only to stop as Hermione's grip on his hand tightened and, in reflex, he pulled his hand away to find that she had stiffened in her seat. With a curious look at her, he noticed why she had become rigid. Harry and Ron had taken seats beside her and were staring into the iciness of the lake ahead with impassive faces. Draco inwardly cursed them harshly. He was about to mention the letter and they had stopped him. It was strange that they had chosen to sit there of all places, as there were many other empty chairs surrounding them. He felt it best not to throw an insult at them, but it took quite a large amount of courage not to.  
  
He glanced at Hermione and saw, with great surprise that she had an expression on her face that was very unHermione-like. She was looking almost murderous, with her eyes blazing like fire, her fists were clenched and he knew that, behind her lips, her teeth were too. He knew and understood the reason for this, but never had he thought that she would ever feel this much hatred towards them. It was very unHermione-like indeed.  
  
Draco continued to keep an eye on her as she slowly relaxed. Some type of purple-robed minister had arrived and most of the chairs had become occupied. Most of people neither Hermione nor Draco could recognise and they gathered that they were relatives or friends of Terry's in some way or another. There were many Hogwarts students attending the funeral and all the teachers were also there. Nearly everyone had approached Terry's casket and said their final good-byes and the coffin now lay shut, a wreath of flowers decorating the top. The minister was standing in front of it, as the guests slowly bacame quiet.  
  
"We are gathered here on this winters day to remember and say our final farewells to Mr. Terrance Mark Boot," the minister began, looking around at the silent, upset guests as they listened. "He was known to friends and family and classmates as Terry, a proud, hard-working Ravenclaw, and an achiever in everything he did."  
  
The minister went on like this for quite some time, but Draco wasn't really listening. He was going over things in his head, something he'd done quite a lot of over the past few days. Words were circling his head, but they kept becoming confused every time he went to say them out loud and he often lost his nerve to say them altogether. These words being the very words that he had wanted to say since he had received that letter from Hermione. "I love you": strong words that were just dying to exit his mouth, even though he was scared of what would happen if and when he did. It seemed to be all he could think about lately.  
  
Hermione wasn't really listening, either, as Terry's mother had now gotten up to give the eulogy and, being as boring as it was, she couldn't help but let her gaze to wonder to Draco beside her, as he stared ahead, with obvious absent thoughts running through his mind.  
  
She had thoughts running through her mind as well. She kept trying to think of Terry, but her brain kept shifting to Draco. She remembered how he had thought of her before he took that Head Boy badge from Dumbledore in the beginning, how he had told her that he cared about her during their first duty, after they'd seen Harry cheating on her with Ginny. Thoughts of them in the library and that first, wonderful kiss they'd shared. The way everything had become clear to her as she wrote that letter to him and realised that she was in love with him. She wasn't even sure if he had gotten or read that letter, as he hadn't said a word about it, or even shown that he had read it. Then again, he had been acting a bit strange around her lately.  
  
Terry's mother had finished her speech and everyone was standing up. Hermione stood as well and brought Draco back to his senses and motioned for him to do the same. An invisible piano started playing from somewhere and they both suddenly found themselves reading a hymn ("Abide with Me") written in gold on a piece of loose parchment that had appeared magically in front of them. Neither one of them was really singing it, though.  
  
When the last note sounded, Hermione didn't sit back down like the rest, as she knew what was coming. She looked down at Draco, who looked back up at her, confused. "I don't want to stay any longer," she whispered. "I don't want to see Terry get buried."  
  
Draco took a moment before nodding and standing up as well. They pushed their way passed Harry and Ron and headed up towards the castle. Draco noticed that more tears had formed in Hermione's eyes, but didn't say anything. He had a fair idea as to what had caused these tears.  
  
"Why is everything happening now for me?" she asked hopelessly. "Look at all the things that have happened in these last couple of months. Terry got that illness and has now died; Harry cheated on me; Ron hurt and betrayed me; my parents have split up. They're all bad things. The only thing I can think of that's been good is - is you and I - the way we've gotten so close." They both stopped walking and faced each other. "I don't think I could've faced seeing Terry get buried."  
  
Draco sighed and nodded to himself. He knew that was the reason of her tears. Silently and slowly, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her, feeling her rest her head on his shoulder.  
  
"I got your letter," he said quietly. Hermione broke out of his embrace and wiped her eyes. She looked at him as though she was waiting for more words to exit his mouth. "I've been wanting to talk to you, but I haven't really had much of a chance." He trailed off, feeling as though something solid and hard had formed in his stomach. He didn't feel ready, for some reason. He wanted to, but couldn't. Hermione seemed to get the idea.  
  
"Draco, it can wait until later," she said with a small smile. "I'll meet you in the common room later. I just want to stay out here alone for a while."  
  
Draco nodded and as she turned to retreat, he said, "Don't catch a cold."  
  
"I won't." She headed off towards the edge of the forest. Draco had a feeling she was going to see Hagrid.  
  
Draco stood out in the cold breeze for a moment before heading all the way back to the castle. He reached the Entrance Hall, but instead of heading up the marble staircase to the common room, he decided to take a walk down into the dungeons.  
  
The dungeons were always cold in the winter and they had a tendency to drip drops of icy condensation, which caused chills to run down her spine every time one touches you. Draco was used to it, though, as he had spent most of his Hogwarts days in the Slytherin common room, which, even with a blazing fire, was just as bad.  
  
He sat down on the bottom step of the narrow staircase that led you to the dungeons, staring ahead into the dark, deserted dungeon passageway. He remembered how he and Hermione had seen Harry kissing Ginny in this passageway on their first Head duty and he wondered whether Hermione would've dumped Harry if she hadn't seen it. Would she still be with him if she hadn't? Would she have never fallen in love with Draco?.  
  
Draco couldn't answer these questions and he doubted whether Hermione could, either. Perhaps she was right when she said, "this is our destiny" in her letter. Perhaps they were made for each other and that everything that was happening was completely out of their control. Perhaps they were destined to be together and that love was only a simple thing between them, because there are things stronger that they have yet to feel and realise.  
  
Draco's thoughts were so caught up, he was completely oblivious as to what was going on around him and didn't notice the tall, cloaked figure of his father approach until he heard his cold, drawling voice.  
  
"I was hoping to find you here," he said. Draco looked up with a start. At the sight of his father, Draco felt his insides go cold and a mixture of fear and dread surfaced in his body. Lucius looked malicious as he spoke his next sentence: "I've been wanting to talk to you."  
  
Draco knew that his father didn't only want to talk, he could see it in his expression and hear it in his tone. His father always had reason to be that malicious. Always.  
  
He was there to punish and Draco knew, from the odd feeling in the pit of his empty stomach, that Lucius had found out about Hermione.  
  
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	15. Discovery and Pain

*Title: When Enemies Interact (15/17). *Author: Orla-Destiny. *Author's email: orla_d_22@yahoo.com.au *Disclaimer: I own nothing!!! How many time do I have to tell you, people???!!! *Author notes: Here's chapter 15! I hope you like it!! Please review!!!  
~ I send some thanks to my betas: Ced, Lilia and arlette!!! *P.S: This fic was written before the Order of the Phoenix was released, to all those who read it after that book.  
  
Chapter 15: Discovery and Pain  
  
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Draco slowly stood up as his father came to a halt in front of him. He stared into the steel grey eyes that he had inherited and felt a cold shiver run through his veins. He feared his father, as Lucius was so much more powerful and evil than he was, but Draco wasn't going to let it show. He could never let it show.  
  
"I thought you knew better than to betray me, Draco," Lucius began in a deadly cold tone that caused goosebumps to prickle up on Draco's skin. He only narrowed his eyes at his father as he continued. "I've taught you better than to go fooling around with a filthy little Mudblood like that Granger. I know about that kiss under that table in the library and you living in the same quarters with her. Very interesting how you have managed to develop these sorts of feelings for a Mudblood girl I thought you hated. I'm utterly ashamed of your pathetic behaviour."  
  
Draco's eyes flashed darkly as he stared at his awful father with a gaze full of nothing but hatred. "It's none of your bloody business what's going on between me and Hermione," he sneered. "I don't care that you've found out about us sharing quarters and the kisses we've shared, even if I am curious as to how you found out about us in the library. That's our business. You never did teach me better, either. You've taught me nothing but evil since I was born. Torturing Muggles and Mudbloods. You taught me as though there was no good in the world. That everything is dark and cruel like you and you can't even handle the fact that I've changed. That I'm not growing into the person you want me to; that I'm not growing into the shadow of you and following your inhumane footsteps. I want to do anything but that."  
  
Draco gulped, suddenly frightened, as he watched the anger build up in Lucius. Never, in all his life, had Draco taken it that far and it had caused his father to look angrier than he ever had in front of him. Lucius stepped forward slightly and roughly grabbed the front of Draco's robes, pulling him forward quickly.  
  
"Never talk to me in that manner!" Lucius snarled. "Do you suddenly think it safe to betray and insult me like that, after all I've done to help you? -"  
  
"Help me?" Draco gasped out. "Since when have you ever helped me? You've treated me like I'm absolutely nothing all my life!"  
  
"Oh I have helped you," Lucius sneered, the shadow of a malicious grin forming on his lips. "I thought you might have had some idea, but no, you've been too caught up in your pitiful love life with that Granger to even suspect it. You would never have gotten Head Boy in the end if it weren't for me. I thought you might have recognised that Boot's illness as I taught you all about it, but obviously you didn't. It was the Crillian Virus, which is a type of Dark virus that can easily be fed into someone with a mere couple of drops of potion. I fed it to Boot the morning he became ill, with a little help from one of his friends under the Imperius Curse. I had planted the potion on the table and forced the friend to guide Boot to it and drink it. A couple of hours later, he was rushed to the hospital wing in the first stages of the illness."  
  
Draco merely stared at his father, feeling the hatred increase inside of him.  
  
". I knew Dumbledore would see it best to send Boot home, as, unlike you, he was smart enough to recognise the virus. I knew that, with you next in line, he would give you the job of Head Boy and he did. Little did I know that you'd fall for the worthless Mudblood you were working with. The idea of that never even crossed my mind."  
  
Draco continued to just stare at his father, wondering what he was going to say or do next.  
  
"So you see, I did help you," Lucius continued. "I led you to where you wanted to be: Head Boy and I've been wanting to speak to you ever since. I haven't been able to, though, because Dumbledore moved you and the Mudblood into your own private quarters, without even notifying me, as a school governor. I have recently been given inside information, however, that has told me the reason and I am not impressed at all. Did you honestly think it wise to once more betray me and go to the pathetic Headmaster about me?"  
  
Draco didn't answer, just continued to stare, thoughts and questions moving around his brain in rapid circles as he wondered how his father had been able to get all this information.  
  
Lucius let go of Draco, turned around and began to walk away. At first, Draco thought his father was leaving, without giving him a real punishment, but canceled that suspicion from his mind instantly as his father stopped, ten feet away, and turned around, his wand gripped firmly in his hand, ready to strike.  
  
Draco didn't have any time to react to what was about to happen, until he heard the curse exit Lucius' mouth.  
  
"Crucio!" The curse hit him with a great amount of strength and Draco felt pain instantly surge through his body. It was worse than he had remembered. The pain was so excruciating, it caused Draco to just want to scream. He knew it best not to, though, as it would attract people to the scene and Lucius would just see that as an added reason to torture and hurt him even more.  
  
Draco could distantly hear his father's cruel laugh through the rush in his ears, and it became fainter with every passing second. He fell painfully to his knees, wanting everything to stop, but it didn't, the pain only grew stronger. The agony was blinding him and darkness was beginning to engulf his senses. As he fell flat onto his stomach on the cold stone ground, gasping terribly in pain, Draco could only let one thing pass through his throbbing head before unconsciousness took over: 'I hope he doesn't kill me.'  
  
*  
  
It was growing dark when Draco finally regained consciousness. He found it strange that he was still lying face-down on the cold stone ground of the dungeons, as he had thought that at least one person should've come across him and see him in this condition. Even if it was still the school holidays, there were still at least half a dozen Slytherins at the castle that should've noticed him at the foot of the stairs as they headed to down to their common room or up for a meal in the Great Hall. Even Snape should've come across him.  
  
His whole body was aching. He knew for a fact that his father had done a lot more to him once he was unconscious. He could feel the wounds and bruises against the stone as they throbbed. He slowly and very painfully sat up and lifted his hand to touch the skin below his throbbing, watery right eye. He found it swollen and at his touch, the pain from it increased. He was positive he would have other bruises like that on other parts of his body.  
  
He struggled as he stood, becoming dizzy from the movement and lightly lent against the wall close by. He felt like the Cruciatus Curse had hit him about twenty times rather than only the once. He took several deep breaths before beginning to slowly and painfully head up the narrow dungeon stairwell into the brightly lit Entrance Hall. He looked around for some sign of someone who could help him, only to find the Hall completely empty and silent. Groaning hoarsely, he swallowed agonizingly and tasted the metallic flavour of blood in his mouth. He wearily staggered across the echoing floor of the Hall to the marble staircase to head up the common room, hoping he wouldn't lose consciousness again in the meantime.  
  
The journey up to the portrait of Daniella and Iain was a long and painful one. Draco had to stop every now and then to regain both clear vision and balance, but he made it there eventually. He couldn't help but have to sit in front of the portrait for several minutes as he let tears stream out of his eyes as the pain truly finally got to him. It had been a long time since he'd cried and it felt almost relieving as he did so. His father had definitely taken it a step further with the punishment this time, because Draco had never felt this much pain in all his life.  
  
He made sure all the tears had left his eyes before he headed on through the portrait and up more stairs to the common room. He entered the room and saw Hermione sitting on the couch in front of the blazing fire that lit the large room, casting eerie shadows here and there.  
  
The moment he had entered, Hermione had turned and glanced over at him, her expression unseen. "Draco, where have you been.?" She trailed off as she noticed Draco's brutally bruised face. She stood up and headed over to him, her face showing both upset emotions and worry. "Your father.?" She stared pointedly at the large, swollen bruise around his eye.  
  
Draco didn't feel he could manage anything but a small nod, but decided to elaborate a bit as he sat down on the couch, feeling his legs wouldn't be able to support him much longer. "He knows about everything to do with you and me, even our kiss in the library." He looked at Hermione, who had taken a seat beside him. Her face had become confused and he knew why.  
  
"How can he know about that? Nobody knows about that kiss but us and nobody else could've seen us. It was only us and Filch . and Harry in the library that night." Realisation suddenly dawned on her. "Harry must have seen us, it's the only real explanation. With all the noise Filch was making, it seems only natural for him to wake up and, like us, he would've tried to find somewhere to hide. Perhaps he found he table in his rush and seen us kissing underneath. I know he would've gone to Ron or someone and told them. Perhaps a Slytherin overheard and told your father. It's the only explanation." She went silent, her expression turning back to upset.  
  
Draco just sat there; wishing all the pain would disappear. Hermione was staring down at her hands and he could only just see the tears that were running slowly and silently down her cheeks.  
  
"Why didn't you go to Madam Pomfrey?" she asked quietly, looking up at him again. Draco had a feeling she would question him on this.  
  
"My father would only see that as another reason to punish me," Draco said truthfully in a hoarsely voice. Hermione bit her lip and nodded, looking back down at her hands.  
  
"We have to do something to stop your father from doing this to you, Draco," she said. "Your father could've killed you today and you know it. I understand that you've told Dumbledore, but I think we have to take this further. Nobody's supposed to get away with stuff like this . like your father has."  
  
Draco only nodded and reached up to touch around his throbbing eye, but Hermione stopped him.  
  
"Come on, Draco, you need to lay down and I'll try my best to clean you up." She supported him as he stood and she slowly and carefully guided him to his bedroom and helped him onto his neatly-made bed. "I'll be back in a moment. In the meantime, try to get some of those clothes off if you want me to clean you up thoroughly."  
  
Draco watched as she exited the room, before slowly taking off his clothes so he was soon only wearing a pair of silk black boxer shorts. He looked down at himself, taking in the large amount of severe bruises and bloody cuts. His father had never hurt him like this.  
  
Hermione re-entered the room, carrying a small bucket of warm water and a fluffy white cloth. Her lips trembled as she took in the cuts and bruises on his usually well-toned body. She pulled his desk chair up so it sat beside his bed and sat down, dampening the cloth as she did so.  
  
"Does he always hurt you like this?" she asked quietly in a muffled voice. Draco didn't have to look at her to know that she still had tears in her eyes. She started dabbing the cloth at one of the cuts on his chest, but looked up when he didn't answer.  
  
He blinked away a small tear before he shook his head, mumbling a small, "No," allowing her to continue with her care.  
  
She turned her work to his face, dabbing the cloth softly around his eyes, ridding them of their tears as she tried to clean up the injuries thoroughly. She then conjured up a small ice pack with her wand and told him to hold it against the swollen flesh around his right eye, before making her way down to the rest of his body, taking her time with every cut and bruise she came across. He took in every single one of her tiny touches, feeling tingles run from the point her fingertips had brushed, all through his sore body, causing him to almost forget about the pain that was still strongly penetrating through his body.  
  
He continued to hold the ice pack against his eye, feeling that part of his face go numb as he watched in silence as she went on cleaning his wounds. He turned over slowly when she asked him to and allowed her to clean up that side as well, feeling even more of her soft, butterfly-like touches on his skin. He watched her as she quietly took her wand from his bedside table again and cast a small spell over his body, causing some of the bruises and cuts to become fainter, though the pain still stayed.  
  
She sat back down and helped him as he turned back over onto his back.  
  
"I can't get rid of all the injuries, but I got rid of some," she sat. "I'm going to go and visit Madam Pomfrey in a moment and get some of that pain-relieving potion she gave you after that Quidditch accident you had, which should help you. I'm also going to inform Dumbledore about this, so if there were anything you'd like me to inform Dumbledore about."  
  
Draco stayed silent for a moment before remembering what Lucius had said about terry. "Father was the one that got Boot ill. He fed the virus to him with a potion," he said. Hermione nodded. "Tell Dumbledore I want to talk to him, as well." Hermione nodded again.  
  
"I will," she said, standing up, "but first I have to get that potion for you. I'll be back soon with it and I think we'll go see Dumbledore together. In the meantime, though, try to get some rest. You look utterly exhausted." Draco silently nodded and closed his eyes.  
  
Hermione looked down at him and smiled. She grabbed the blanket that was folded at the end of his bed, unfolded it and laid it over him. She heard him mumble a small "thanks" and left the room, closing the door behind her and headed out of the common room in the direction of the hospital wing, a small smile on her lips.  
  
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	16. Confessions

*Title: When Enemies Interact (16/17). *Author: Orla-Destiny. *Author's email: orla_d_22@yahoo.com.au *Disclaimer: *grumbles* Only 1 to go! I OWN NOTHING!!!!!! *Author notes: I really hope you like this chapter!!! It's the second last chapter of the story, so.  
Please review and tell me what you think!!!  
~ Thanks to Ced, Lilia and arlette for beta-reading!!! *P.S: This fic was written before the Order of the Phoenix was released, to all those who read it after that book.  
  
Chapter 16: Confessions  
  
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Draco was fast asleep when Hermione returned from the hospital wing, carrying a medium-sized bottle filled with the slimy, bright purple pain- relieving potion and an empty goblet. She sat back down in the seat beside his bed and looked down at his pale, bruised face as he continued to sleep soundly. She took out her wand and tapped the brutal bruise around his right eye, murmuring a small healing charm Madam Pomfrey had just taught her as she did so. She watched as the bruise disappeared, before placing her wand down on the bedside table.  
  
"Draco," she said softly, shaking his shoulder gently with her hand. Draco's eyes shot open almost immediately as a gasp of pain escaped his lips. Hermione moved her hand away quickly and bit her lower lip. "I'm so sorry," she said apologetically. Draco's face relaxed and his gaze shifted to the potion in her hand. He let out a groan of disgust.  
  
"I know you don't like this potion, Draco," Hermione said solemnly. "It helped last time, though, didn't it?" Draco just lay there on the bed, knowing she was right. "Here, I'll help you sit up." She placed the potion and goblet on his bedside table and carefully helped him into a sitting position. He watched her with content as she lent over him to get the pillows from the other side of the bed and placed them behind him to help support him. "Are you comfortable?" she asked. Draco only nodded in reply, not letting his gaze leave hers.  
  
Hermione smiled under his gaze, before grabbing the potion and pouring the right amount of it into the goblet. She handed it to him with an apologetic smile. "Try to drink it all down, Draco," she said. "You know it will help."  
  
Draco reluctantly pinched his nose and raised the goblet to his lips. He drank all the slimy, ill-tasting liquid before handing the now-empty goblet back to Hermione, feeling as though he wanted to bring it all up again. Hermione gave a small smile, ignoring the revolted look on Draco's face.  
  
She placed the goblet back on the bedside table, before turning back to Draco, who was moving around slightly, trying to get comfortable. "Are you hungry at all?" she asked soothingly. Draco shook his head, causing pain to run all the way down his spine. He cringed and lifted his hand up to massage the back of his neck. Hermione watched him closely, wondering what else she could do to help him.  
  
"Madam Pomfrey taught me a small spell while you were sleeping," she said after a short moment. "It gets rid of bruises. I used it on your face before I woke you up. Would you like me to use it on some of your other bruises to help get rid of a little bit of the pain?" She looked at Draco carefully as she asked him this. "I won't be able to get rid of all the bruises, though - only the really bad ones.  
  
Draco didn't even hesitate before nodding. Hermione slowly grabbed her wand and examined his bruises once more. There were so many of them, but some were so brutal, so black they caused Hermione's heart to retch. Why would anyone want to hurt their own son like this? It was so inhumane, so heartless and what did they get out of it? Hermione felt her anger and hatred for Lucius Malfoy rise inside of her at the thought. She continued to mutter the little healing spell at every severe bruise, not wanting to let her ill-wishing feelings for Lucius to show.  
  
She finished her healing and sat back down in her chair. Draco, who was looking at her with a distant expression, muttered a small "thanks", but his mind was on something else entirely and Hermione could tell.  
  
"Draco, is something troubling you?" she asked curiously.  
  
Draco shifted his attention back to her and hesitated slightly before replying. "The letter," he began slowly. "I've wanted to talk to you about it for the past week, but with Boot dying . I haven't really had a chance." He carefully lent over in his bed and opened the top drawer of his bedside table. After a short moment, he brought out the parchment envelope containing her meaningful letter. "When I received this letter, I didn't really know exactly how I felt for you. I was confused with all my feelings, because I had never felt anything like it in my life, but then I read this letter and knew. This letter caused me to realise something that I never thought existed and it's held in my body, in my heart." He trailed off. Hermione was watching him extremely closely and patiently as he tried to form the words he had been yearning to say for the past week or so. "I love you," he said slowly and quietly.  
  
Hermione's heart did an odd flip. They were the very words that she had wanted to hear from his mouth. She sat there with a smile set on her lips. She slowly lent forward in her chair and gave him a small kiss on the lips. "I love you, too," she said. She moved over and sat on the edge of his bed rather than the chair.  
  
Draco couldn't help but give her a tiny smile back. "When are we going to go see Dumbledore?" he asked lightly. It seemed that the potion was taking its effect, as the pain was slowly leaving him. Hermione straightened the blanket covering Draco.  
  
"I think you should get a bit more rest before we go," she said. "You look extremely tired. How about we go and see him in the morning. That way you can get a good night sleep to help you recover."  
  
Draco gave a small nod and let out a small shiver. "I'm cold," he stated simply. Hermione smiled and stood up. She helped Draco get under the other covers and sat back down on the edge of the bed next to him again.  
  
"Better?" she asked as she straightened the blankets again, making sure they covered Draco properly.  
  
Draco was staring at her with an odd expression on his face that Hermione had never seen before. She waited for a reply from him, but it never came. His eyes were locked on hers and she couldn't look away, but she didn't want to, anyway. Her heart beat quickened and she only faintly took in the fact that he had a hand on the back of her neck and he was guiding her face down to his. She didn't object when their lips met, in a slow, passionate kiss that caused a great amount of feelings and emotions to run through both of their bodies.  
  
The intensity between them steadily built. Hermione was absently running her hands over Draco's body, allowing him to guide her down, on top of him. His excitement was evident through the blankets, but this time she honestly didn't care. She had been yearning for this kiss ever since the last one and, obviously, he had been as well. A moan escaped her throat and suddenly, Draco abruptly broke the kiss.  
  
"I hear someone coming," he gasped, trying to catch some breath. Hermione heard it as well. It sounded like footsteps of someone heading up the stairs to the common room! She climbed off Draco, grabbed her wand off the bedside table and sat back down in the chair, straightening her top as she did so.  
  
The door of Draco's room was open and Hermione let out a sigh of relief when she noticed Dumbledore standing in the doorway, looking around the common room with his silver beard shining in the flicking light of the blazing fire. She was about to call out to say where they were when Dumbledore's gaze met hers and a smile came to his lips. He headed over to Draco room and stood in the doorway, hands behind his back, taking in everything in the room.  
  
"I've come up," the tall headmaster said, "because I overheard Mr.'s Goyle and Crabbe talking about you, Mr. Malfoy. They were saying that you were down in the dungeons, that you father, Lucius, had obviously found you." Dumbledore looked down at Draco over his half-moon glasses. "Am I right in saying that your father could've killed you today, Draco?"  
  
Draco looked up at the elderly headmaster with a vacant expression and nodded slowly. "He had wanted to talk to me about -" He didn't know if he should tell the Headmaster that Hermione was the reason. He looked at Hermione, who gave a tiny nod. "- He wanted to talk to me about the stuff that's going on between Hermione and me.  
  
"You've got a fair idea as to what my father is like, Professor. He despises everything to do with Muggle-borns and here I am, literally living with one." He cast another look at Hermione. "He doesn't like the fact Hermione and I have gotten so close -"  
  
"You don't have to go into these sorts of details, Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore interrupted with a small smile. "None of that is really my business. What I want to know is what he did to you."  
  
Draco took a deep breath and began to tell him. He told him about the Cruciatus Curse, and how his father had used it on him until he passed out. How he'd woken up, several hours later, feeling as though he'd been run over by the Knight Bus more than once. He told him everything, and both Hermione and Dumbledore listened with intent.  
  
When Draco had finished, Dumbledore nodded and stepped further into the room. He headed over to the edge of Draco's bed and sat down, looking at Draco carefully.  
  
"Your father," Dumbledore questioned, "would he have been the one responsible for feeding poor Terry the Crillian Virus?" The look in Dumbledore's blue eyes was that of great concern and seriousness.  
  
Draco nodded. "He'd done that in an act of helping me, though I didn't ask for it." Dumbledore nodded in understanding.  
  
"I think it will be wise if I contact the Ministry about the punishments your father has been giving you," he said. "The Ministry will of course need proof. Miss Granger, I ask you not to remove any more of Draco's bruises or cuts, as that is the exact evidence the Ministry will want and need. You are also somewhat a witness of this punishment. You may not have seen it, but you did see Draco's condition after it." Dumbledore stood up. "If all goes the way I wish it to," he said with finality, "your father may very well lose custody of you, Mr. Malfoy. Though, with his use of the Cruciatus Curse, he may also be put in Azkaban."  
  
Draco nodded. He honestly didn't care if his father lost custody of him or got put in prison. His father totally deserved it and it was something Draco had wanted to happen for a long time.  
  
Dumbledore gave both Hermione and Draco a small smile and retreated from the room, giving each of them a small "good night."  
  
Draco turned his gaze back to Hermione, who smiled. "I knew Dumbledore would do something to help you," she said. "It will be good if your father does lose custody of you."  
  
Draco nodded and snuggled down further in his bed, wanting to just shut is eyes and go to sleep.  
  
"You get some sleep. I'll stay here all night, if you wish, just in case you wake up in agony," she said softly. Draco nodded, not really caring if she stayed or not. "I still have a little bit of reading I have to do for Charms anyway. The N.E.W.T's aren't far away and my studying has been falling back a bit, lately." Draco gave a small smile at the look on her face. She looked almost ashamed at herself.  
  
"Falling back on studying," he smirked, shaking his head. "That's not like you at all, Miss Granger." Hermione gave him a false smile.  
  
"Go to sleep. You need it," she said. "I'm just going into the study to get my Advanced Charms book. When I get back, I want to see your eyes closed."  
  
"Yes, Mother," Draco said sarcastically. Hermione gave him a slightly cold look before she left the room.  
  
Draco watched her retreat, a small smile on his face. He was amazed at how fine he felt, now. It proved that the revolting potion really did work well, but he had a feeling that the fact he had finally told Hermione that he loved her had something to do with it, as well.  
  
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	17. The Perfect Ending, for the Perfect Begi...

*Title: When Enemies Interact (17/17). *Author: Orla-Destiny. *Author's email: orla_d_22@yahoo.com.au *Disclaimer: Last one!!! *Celebrates*. I'll make this Disclaimer a long, whole covering one: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by J. K. Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. (This disclaimer is the FictionAlley.org disclaimer, also! They own it!) *Author notes: Well here's chapter 17, the final chapter of When Enemies Interact. I decided to end it here and let your imaginations run wild. You can have them do anything you want them to at the end! I hope you enjoyed my story and I hope you review! I'd like to thank the following people: Karen, Samantha Bullas and Justin Berfriend, all of whom helped me at some place or another during the writing of this fic. I'd also like to thank my beta-readers: Monique and Sway (chapters 1 - 5), Cedric Diggory (6 - last), and Lilia and arlette (7 - last). Thank-you to all those who have and are going to review. Your comments are greatly appreciated. One last note: I am NOT a Harry and Ron hater in any way! Bastard!Harry and Ron was just all part of this plot! Cheerios and lots of Butterbeer!  
~ Orla-Destiny Randle. *P.S. This fic was written before the Order of the Phoenix was released, to all those who read it after that book.  
  
Chapter 17: The Perfect Ending, for the Perfect Beginning  
  
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Hermione and Draco headed across the grounds to the lake, hand in hand. It was the last day of the Christmas holidays and all the students that had gone home were back in the castle, which grew noisy with their returning presence. Draco was feeling a lot better and some of his injuries were beginning to heal and disappear. A man from the Child Welfare office of the Ministry of Magic had come to see him after Dumbledore had contacted them about Lucius' evil-doing punishments. Both Draco and Hermione were waiting to hear some sort of verdict as to what was going to happen. The man, Manfred Lindley-Bay, had ruled out the idea of going to court about it, as it was quite clear that Lucius was responsible and guilty of these punishments.  
  
Hermione and Draco silently sat down by the side of the still, slightly icy lake. The cool air caused them both to shiver slightly and pull their cloaks tighter around them.  
  
"I really hope your father gets what he deserves," Hermione said quietly into the silence. "I know it's cruel of me to say this, but I hope he gets a lifetime in Azkaban. Not only for punishing you like he has, but also for all the evil, Death Eater things he's done and had a part in." Hermione rarely spoke like this and Draco was quite surprised, though he got over it rather quickly.  
  
"Well, after what that Lindley-Bay told us, I'd say he'll get some sort of punishment like that," Draco said. "I want him to at least lose custody of me."  
  
"I think that's going to happen anyway, Draco," Hermione said. "Besides, you're probably going to leave home the moment you graduate anyway, right?"  
  
Draco lifted an eyebrow and gave a disbelieving, sideways glance. "Like my father would allow that. He'll probably want me to stay a few extra years for more Dark Arts lessons, even if I don't want it. He'd force me to learn every single little Dark curse."  
  
"Not if you don't let him," Hermione said courageously. "You should be the one running your life, not him. It your choices that truly matter."  
  
Draco couldn't help but give her a small smile and wrap his arm around her. "He'll lose custody of me, don't you worry."  
  
"And he has," said a voice behind them, startling them. They turned their heads to see Dumbledore standing beside Lindley-Bay and the Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge. Dumbledore, the speaker, smiled down at them before continuing. "He is also being taken to Azkaban. Your mother, surprisingly, Draco, is quite happy with this arrangement and says you are welcome back at home after you graduate. She had bravely reported to Mr. Fudge here, that she was brutally abused and bashed by you father numerous times over the past year or so."  
  
Draco nodded and gave Hermione a glance, to see her smiling slightly at the three elderly gentlemen. Draco turned his gaze back to them.  
  
"I thank you for doing this," he said. "As Hermione keeps reminding me, I'm lucky to be alive." Hermione looked at him, slightly surprised. "It's for the best that he's going to prison. There's a lot of things I know about him that I haven't told you and if I did tell you, you would've sent him straight into Azkaban without a single thought against it."  
  
"Now, if you two would excuse us," Dumbledore said, "the rest of the staff are waiting for us in the staff room." Dumbledore smiled and turned, with the other two gentlemen and began to head back to the castle.  
  
Hermione watched them leave before turning to Draco. "What other things would you have told them?" she asked, curious.  
  
"Death Eater stuff and about how he killed my grandmother," Draco replied with a shrug. Hermione eyes widened.  
  
"You never told me he killed your grandmother," she gasped.  
  
"I didn't feel I had to."  
  
"Well, you should've at least told them," Hermione said. "Your grandmother's death might be a complete mystery to them and they might still be trying to work out how she died, or who killed her."  
  
"Hermione, just shut the hell up," Draco said with a small smile. "You're always being practical and thinking ahead of yourself." Hermione gave him a small glare, but couldn't hold it long, as a smile crept onto her lips.  
  
"Sorry," she muttered. Draco gave her a smirk and lent across, towards her. He brushed his lips across hers.  
  
"Your Know-it-all-ism is actually something that attracted me to you - even when we were enemies and always at each others throats," Draco admitted. Hermione frowned confused. Draco just mentally shook his head and bent in to kiss her again, but they were interrupted.  
  
"So it is true what Ginny was telling us," a voice said coldly behind them. Draco and Hermione turned their heads around again, to see Harry and Ron standing there, cold, hateful looks on their faces. The speaker was Harry. "You two are truly going out and here we were thinking it was just one of your stupid 'I'm falling for the handsome guy' crushes, Hermione."  
  
"Look, Potter," Draco sneered, "if you don't have a real reason to be here, then leave. I honestly can't stand the sight of your scarred, ugly face. Same with you Weasley."  
  
"Make us, Malfoy," Ron snapped, his ears going red.  
  
"You jealous as well, Weasley?" Draco snarled. "Hermione's fallen for the 'enemy', after so many years of you liking her as more than a friend. You and Potter are so alike in so many ways. You two should get married and Longbottom can be the flower girl."  
  
"Shut up, Malfoy," Harry said, his fists clenched.  
  
"No, I don't think I want to, Potter," Draco said. He looked sideways at Hermione, who was watching the argument awkwardly.  
  
"Draco," she said. "Stop it. Let them be."  
  
"Why, Hermione?" Harry asked. "Why should he let us be? Why don't you have your input."  
  
Hermione paused a moment, considering what he said. Her face was written with an expression of great thought. "Ok, then, if you really want me to," she said. "I think you and Ron are being more childish than I can ever remember. In other ways, you're being selfish. Both of you are quite obviously jealous, for reasons I am not sure of and don't want to go into. The truth is, is our friendship, the 'bond' between us was doomed right from the moment I said yes to going out with Harry. I was, truthfully, relieved when I saw you kissing Ginny outside that dungeon that night, Harry, but I honestly didn't think I'd lose Ron and all my other friends when dumping you. You basically put me where I am now, with no real friends other than Draco and he is so much more to me now than just a friend." She paused and looked at Draco, who was listening closely, taking in everything she said.  
  
"You might think that even if I did have you two as friends still, Draco and I would've gotten where we are anyway, with him becoming Head Boy, our Polyjuice assignment. But we wouldn't be," she continued. "I would've respected your opinions and gone along with all of it. I wouldn't be sharing quarters with him or anything like that, because you two wouldn't have stood for it, so I wouldn't have done it, even if Draco and I had become friends. Not having you two as my friends has changed all that and to me, it's for the better. I love Draco and you probably think that that whole idea is absurd. You may be jealous, you may be angry, but it's your own fault, not mine. You put me where I am now." She finished her speech, feeling glad to have finally let them hear some of what she believed.  
  
A long silence of surprise, shock and realisation followed her speech. Harry and Ron had looks of great bewilderment on their features and Draco was staring at them both with great amusement.  
  
"The reason I told Draco to let you be, is exactly because of that," Hermione said to Harry and Ron, who continued to look bewildered. "He was basically bickering about you two having feelings that you guys caused for yourselves."  
  
Harry and Ron were speechless. They stood there silently for a moment before Harry motioned to Ron and they turned around and began to head back towards the castle.  
  
Draco turned back to look at Hermione. "How much thought did you put into that little speech?" he asked curiously, entwining his fingers with hers.  
  
"Not all that much," Hermione admitted. "I could hardly sleep last night and that was just something that crossed my mind, that's all." Draco frowned. "I think they'll leave us alone now and that's good." Draco lent in again and kissed her softly on the lips.  
  
Silence followed this, as Hermione played with a small lock of Draco's hair. After a moment of so, Draco decided to change the subject. "When we leave here, Hogwarts, should I go home and live with my mother?"  
  
"That, Draco," Hermione said, standing up, "Is personally up to you." She grabbed Draco's hand and helped him stand up, as well.  
  
Draco frowned, going into deep thought as he stared over the lake to the mountains in the distance. "I guess I will," he said after a long while. "For a while, anyway. You can move in, if you want. There's plenty of rooms in the manor." Hermione looked uncertain. "Perhaps we'll wait and see about that, then?"  
  
Hermione nodded. "I think so."  
  
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Once the new school term had started, it was quite amazing as to how quickly the word of Draco and Hermione "truly" being together spread through the school. There had of course been rumours earlier on, but now that it was official, it seemed no one could talk about anything else.  
  
The Slytherins had totally disowned Draco for good. At Quidditch practice, no one spoke to him unless they were giving some sort of instruction for the next game or something else relevant to his skill and performance.  
  
Hermione, on the other hand, didn't get much of stuff like that, though, she was always in the library or their study, doing research or work. She had already begun her N.E.W.T revision, which wasn't really out of the ordinary for her, but she was also starting to urge Draco into starting his as well.  
  
All in all, though, neither one of them were bothered by other peoples assumptions and gossiping. They just went on like normal.  
  
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Draco headed up the last couple of stairs to the common room and stopped in the doorway, a small smile coming to his lips when he noticed Hermione sitting in the armchair closest to the study. He headed over to her to see her reading from an extremely thick book, which was set in her lap. He startled her slightly when he gave her a light kiss on the cheek.  
  
"Hi," she said simply, looking up at him, showing her slightly tired eyes.  
  
Draco gave her a smile and sat down on the couch. "What's that?" he asked, nodding his head towards the book.  
  
"Oh, Arithmancy Analyses. I'm reading up on an advanced equation formula," Hermione said in a matter-of-factly tone. "Where have you been?" she asked as he nodded.  
  
"In the library," Draco replied, opening his bag and pulling out a book (The Dictionary of Advanced Astronomy), which he showed Hermione. "I have to look up this star constellation I took note of last night in class. Sinistra told me I have to do a whole bloody report on it, the stupid witch."  
  
Hermione gave him a disapproving look and closed the book in her lap. "You really shouldn't say that about a teacher, Draco," she said. Draco just ignored her. Smiling, Hermione stood up and headed over to sit next to him. She took his hand in hers and snuggled a little closer, so she could rest her head on his shoulder. A pleasant silence occupied the room as they both stared into the blazingly warm fire. After a few minutes, Hermione broke it.  
  
"It's truly amazing how so many things have happened over such a short period of time, isn't it?" she said, expressing her absent thoughts. "I mean, it hasn't been much longer than three months since we were in Potions, arguing over that stupid comment you made about me wanting to look down your pants." They both gave a small laugh before she continued. "Since then, Terry became sick and you took his place as Head Boy. On our first Head duty together, we saw Harry cheating on me. The very next day, I dumped him and then, that night, we ended up kissing in the library. A couple of weeks after that, you got in that Quidditch accident and we soon moved into these quarters together. We then took the physical form of one another and soon afterwards, my parents decided to get a divorce. When the holidays finally arrived, Terry died and you got brutally bashed by your father and he's been sent to prison and lost full custody of you. That's a hell of a lot of things to happen in three months and to top it all off, we fell in love with each other and I'm the happiest I have been for a long time." She took a deep breath and lifted her head off Draco's shoulder, wanting to see his expression.  
  
His eyes were shining like diamonds and they were full with numerous emotions, all of which seemed to be directed towards her. She had never seen him like this, but it made her heart pound against her chest as it ached to reach out to him. She kept hold of his hand as she gazed at him in silence. She only let go when she felt him begin to wrap his arms around her and pull her closer, so she was suddenly sitting on top of him, straddling him.  
  
"I love you so much," he said quietly, in a voice quivering like the string of a violin, slightly breathless - very unlike his own. Hermione didn't get a chance to respond as his lips were now on hers, kissing her with more intensity than he ever had.  
  
- The End -  
  
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